GARY, Ind. (WLKI)- More than 20,000 people remained without electricity in northwest Indiana Sunday morning, nearly two weeks after severe storms caused extensive damage across the region.
According to NIPSCO, homes in Gary, Portage, Lake Station and Munster were still without service. The utility estimated that electricity would be substantially restored across Gary by the end of Tuesday, Aug. 25.
The storms moved through the region Aug. 11, producing wind gusts approaching 100 mph. Fallen trees, damaged power lines and broken utility poles caused one of the largest power outages in NIPSCO's history.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton reported Saturday that at least 17,000 city residents remained without power. The extended outage also forced Gary schools to close while residents sought food, water, shelter and places to charge electronic devices.
NIPSCO's parent company, NiSource, described the damage as one of the most extensive and complex situations its restoration crews had encountered. Some portions of the electrical system required complete rebuilding instead of routine repairs.
Gov. Mike Braun activated the Indiana National Guard to assist with recovery efforts. Braun also called on NIPSCO to bring in more crews and devote every available resource to restoring service.
President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Indiana, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist state and local recovery operations.
Frustration has continued to grow among residents coping with spoiled food, lost wages and limited access to electricity. Shelters and distribution centers have provided meals and other supplies to affected families.
Civil rights leaders and advocacy organizations have also questioned whether recovery resources were reaching communities equitably. Gary's population is nearly 80% Black, and some advocates argued that the prolonged outage reflected broader disparities affecting predominantly Black communities.
The power company's response also drew scrutiny after NiSource announced a shareholder dividend valued at about $140 million on the same day the widespread outages began.
Utility officials maintained that crews were rebuilding heavily damaged portions of the electrical system while working to complete repairs that would ordinarily take weeks or months.