Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission launches investigation into NIPSCO's handling of August storm outages
An investigation is underway into NIPSCO's response to the August storms that left thousands without power for weeks in Northwest Indiana
The probe comes as residents continue to recover from the natural disaster.
"This is serious. I am frightened for the winter," one Gary resident said Thursday night.
About 100 people filled a Gary town hall event on Thursday inside Trinity United Church to discuss NIPSCO's response to the August derecho, which left hundreds of thousands without power, many of them for weeks.
"Something has got to be done. We have got to band together and do what needs to be done," Patricia Thornton said.
NIPSCO has said the storm outage last month was the largest in its history. Thursday night's town hall meeting in Gary was organized by local groups. No NIPSCO representatives were present.
"I had no utilities for two weeks. Zero. Zilch. Nothing. I yet got a bill for $161," said Gary resident Terry Wilkerson.
Wilkerson said she was glad to see the town hall event help organize residents to demand action.
"We're making some connections, we've talked to some people, and we're going to get together, and it's going to be a movement. This has got to change," she said.
The town hall comes after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission this week formally launched an investigation into NIPSCO, ordered by Gov. Mike Braun.
On top of the storm response, the investigation is set to also look into the utility's vegetation management and infrastructure upkeep before the storm.
"This storm was just everything coming together at once," said Indiana state Rep. Ragen Hatcher (D-Gary).
Hatcher said she hopes the investigation leads to changes for how the utility operates.
"It's time to improve the infrastructure to make sure it can hold up," she said.
In a statement to CBS affiliate WSBT-TV in South Bend, in response to the call for the investigation, NIPSCO said "such an investigation will allow for the commission, other utilities and all Hoosiers to better understand and prepare for the growing threat that historic weather presents to the industry."
