Overview
- A violent derecho and tornadoes on Aug. 11 toppled trees and blew down power infrastructure in Gary, with the National Weather Service recording gusts up to 99 mph that caused widespread transmission and distribution damage.
- NIPSCO says it has restored electricity to roughly 345,000 customers since the storm, but tens of thousands in Gary remained without power more than 12 days after the storm and the company has issued near‑term deadlines to finish repairs.
- Many households are facing acute hardships because about one‑third of Gary’s roughly 70,000 residents live in poverty, leaving families without refrigeration, medicine, or electricity for oxygen equipment and forcing reliance on generators or emergency aid.
- Local leaders have publicly pressed NIPSCO for answers and relief, the governor has called for an investigation, and residents have filed a class‑action suit alleging poor tree management while NIPSCO says it will vigorously defend itself.
- Restoration has required replacing hundreds of distribution poles and dozens of transmission poles, and crews have been slowed by safety and equipment setbacks, a situation that could increase calls for infrastructure upgrades and federal relief.