Governor Demands Investigation as Deadline to Restore Power in Gary Nears

In predominantly Black Gary, Indiana, students are returning to classrooms while thousands of residents remain without power nearly two weeks after a devastating storm. Now, Gov. Mike Braun says it’s time to find out why.

Braun has called for an investigation into NIPSCO – one of Indiana’s largest natural gas and electric companies – and how it handled the prolonged outages, questioning whether the utility did enough to prepare for severe weather and properly maintain the infrastructure that keeps electricity flowing, The New York Times reported. He has also questioned whether money provided for infrastructure improvements was used as promised.

“I’m directing the OUCC to file a complaint and petition the IURC to launch an investigation so we can determine whether NIPSCO did what it promised ratepayers and regulators it would do with the money it was given,” Braun said in a statement, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

His message was blunt: “Hoosiers deserve accountability.”

RELATED: As The City Prepares for Another Weekend Without Power, Gary Mayor Says Residents Deserve Better

We previously told you that the Aug. 11 storms ravaged northwest Indiana, knocking out power for tens of thousands of residents, many in Gary. It’s been exactly two weeks since the storms hit, and thousands are still living in the dark.

The governor said there was “no excuse for these delays” and distinguished between the crews working on the ground and the company’s leadership. According to Braun, the workers have done an “extraordinary job.” But he said NIPSCO management has failed to deliver adequate solutions.

“NIPSCO is a monopoly utility that Hoosiers pay every month with the expectation that it will use its considerable resources to maintain its system, prepare for severe weather and restore service as quickly as possible when disaster strikes,” Braun added. “NIPSCO has failed to keep its end of the bargain.”

The comments come as Gary tries to move forward with a school year that began under anything but normal circumstances.

Most students returned on Monday (Aug. 24), with the district operating on a two-hour delay, even as more than 7,000 Gary residents were still without electricity, according to WGN TV. By Tuesday morning, that number had fallen, but more than 3,000 NIPSCO customers across the region remained without power as the company’s Aug. 25 11:59 p.m. restoration deadline approaches.

For Mayor Eddie Melton, the progress has not erased the frustration. As we reported, he said he has maintained close communication with NIPSCO and made clear that the pace of restoration was unacceptable. The city has had hundreds of utility workers and vegetation crews working on the recovery. But for families who have spent nearly two weeks without air conditioning, refrigeration or reliable electricity, the wait has been painfully long.

That burden matters in Gary, a predominantly Black city that has long dealt with economic challenges and aging infrastructure. Residents have had to throw away food, buy generators, find places to cool off and figure out how to keep daily life moving.

Mayor Melton has urged residents to file for reimbursement with the city. The community has also stepped up, with volunteers, local organizations and outside supporters providing food, supplies and other assistance. But charity cannot replace reliable infrastructure.

Now, with NIPSCO’s deadline hours away, Braun wants the investigation to determine whether the prolonged outage was simply the result of an extraordinary storm – or whether better preparation could have prevented some of the hardship Gary residents are still experiencing.