Storm and Outage Details

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) continues restoration work Thursday in hard-hit Northeast Indiana – especially Delaware and Madison County, after severe storms caused widespread damage. Damage assessors have discovered fallen trees, 90 broken and damaged poles and 300 individual spans of downed power lines. 

  

• As of 1:30 p.m., approximately 7,100 I&M customers in the Delaware and Madison County areas are without power. At the peak of Wednesday’s storm more than 12,000 customers lost service.
• I&M anticipates having the majority of customers who can receive power restored by 11 p.m. Thursday. Many customers will receive service before the estimated time. Customers can enroll in mobile alerts for personalized restoration information. Sign up on I&M’s mobile app or at IndianaMichiganPower.com/Alerts.
• I&M has a nearly 1,700-member storm restoration team of employees, mutual assistance personnel and contractors focused on safely restoring power. Ahead of the inclement weather, I&M retained mutual assistance crews working in north central Indiana and southwest Michigan earlier this week. Those workers will now focus on repairing and replacing damage to our electrical system in the hardest hit areas.

• I&M urges the public to remain a safe distance away from crews restoring power. Our team is working near dangerous equipment, often in clearly marked safe areas. Please be alert in work zones and give enough room to keep crews safe as they work to restore power.
• As customers inspect damage, please be cautious. Don’t attempt to remove tree limbs or debris yourself or walk near standing water if it is near a downed power line. If you notice a downed line or other hazard, stay far away and call local police or I&M immediately at 1-800-311-4634.

STAY CONNECTED:

As a result of the significant impacts from the storm, I&M customers should prepare to be without service until 11 p.m. Thursday. Estimated restoration times are when crews expect at least 90% of customers to be restored, but most customers will have power before the below estimated time.

After the damage assessment phase is complete and crews begin work on individual outages, an estimated time of restoration will be communicated to customers. Stay connected and informed with the following:

• Monitor the status of your outage at IndianaMichiganPower.com/App.
• Sign up for text and email alerts on the app or at IndianaMichiganPower.com/Alerts.
• View outages and estimates at IndianaMichiganPower.com/OutageMap.

CAN CUSTOMERS RECEIVE POWER?

Now is the time for customers to determine whether their home can receive power. I&M cannot connect power to a home or business if there is damage to the service entrance, which is owned by the customer. A licensed electrician must repair damage before power can be restored. Learn more about the responsibilities of a property owner and I&M here. 

SAFETY MESSAGES:

• Stay Away from Downed Lines: Remember, all downed lines should be considered deadly. The power line and anything it could touch, including fences or in standing water, can carry electric currents which could cause serious or even fatal injuries. If you see a fallen wire, keep yourself and others, including pets away and call local police or Indiana Michigan Power immediately at 1-800-311-4634.
• Look Up. If you’re outside, please look up and be aware of your surroundings as the ground is saturated from the rain and trees and limbs could fall at any moment.
• I&M urges the public to remain a safe distance away from crews restoring power. Our team is working near dangerous equipment, often in clearly marked safe areas. Please be alert in work zones and give enough room to keep crews safe as they work to restore power.
• Let us know if you plan to use a generator. This protects you and our line workers restoring power. See our Generator Safety Tips for a full list of ways to stay safe.
• For more safety tips visit IndianaMichiganPower.com/safety/storms/.