Storm and Outage Details

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW  

• Strong, sustained winds continue to impact Indiana Michigan Power’s (I&M) service area and are expected to last until late tonight.  

• We understand how disruptive it is to be without power, especially when outages extend through the night, and we truly appreciate your patience as we work through these challenging conditions. 

• As of 8:30 p.m., we have restored over 40% of customers who were out at our peak number of outages. Approximately 16,000 customers across our service area are still without power. Most outages have been caused by the powerful winds damaging our poles and equipment, as well as blowing tree branches into power lines.  

• Although high winds have prevented crews from safely going up in bucket trucks in some areas, we have continued to restore power wherever conditions allow.  

• Approximately 850 storm restoration experts – including lineworkers and tree trimming experts – have continued to work throughout the day and evening to assess damage, remove hazards and stage materials for repairs.  

• So far, we have identified:  

• approximately 80 broken or damaged poles  

• more than 450 individual spans of downed wire (a span is the length of line between two poles) 

• Winds are expected to calm down late this evening. Crews and restoration personnel will continue to work through the night to quickly and safely restore service where possible.  

• We also have additional workers traveling in to help with efforts. 

• As soon as it’s safe for crews to begin full repair work, we’ll provide updated restoration times for outages. 

• The fastest way to get information is through the I&M app and text or email alerts. The app shows outage details for your home or business, and alerts can send estimated restoration times. Customers can download and enroll in alerts here. 

WHY THIS STORM CREATES RESTORATION CHALLENGES 

• Widespread windstorms like this one often cause hundreds of smaller, scattered outages rather than a few large ones. 

• This means crews must move from site to site, completing this work one location at a time, which makes the process more timeintensive. 

• Even when an outage affects only a handful of customers, every outage requires crews to perform a full safety check, clear any trees or branches, remove damaged equipment and debris, and make repairs before power can be restored. 

• We know how hard it is to wait, and we want you to know that every outage—large or small—is important to us and will be restored as quickly and safely as possible. 

SAFETY TIPS 

• Watch out for downed wires. Stay away from downed power lines and anything it may be touching – like a fence or a tree. Report any hazard to I&M at 1-800-311-4634 or to local police. 

• Give crews space. If you see an I&M crew, please give them enough space to work and do not try to ask them questions. They are working with and near dangerous equipment. 

• Be aware of your surroundings. Look up if you’re outside as the saturated ground could cause a tree or limb to fall at any moment. Also, be aware of debris flying in the air or into the roadway. 

• Some traffic lights are out. If a stoplight isn’t working, treat it as a stop sign. Take it slow on the road.  

• Use generators safely. Connect all appliances directly to the generator. Don’t connect the generator's electrical output to any home or building electrical circuits. Don’t use gas-powered generators in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces, like inside a garage or a home. 

• For more safety tips, visit IndianaMichiganPower.com/Weather.