Indiana and Michigan Power Storm Advisory In Advance of Strong Winds

By: Indiana and Michigan Electric Power—

Update: 8pm, 2/24/19

As more than 400 Indiana Michigan Power employees and contractors restore power across I&M’s service territory, incessant winds that have blown since early this morning continue to disrupt service to additional customers.

Though I&M has restored power to more than 7,000 customers in a timely manner throughout the day, heavy afternoon wind gusts accelerated the number of outages. As of 8 p.m., more than 10,000 customers were without power.

While crews continue to work into the night, I&M will be unable to restore service to all remaining customers tonight. With low temperatures expected overnight, customers may want to plan for alternative places to stay.

At this time, I&M continues to set estimated times of restoration for individual outages as damage is assessed. I&M is expected to establish and announce estimated times of restoration for remaining customers by region mid-morning on Monday.

I&M strongly urges customers who use alternative heating sources such as generators, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves to safely follow all directions on their proper use. Never use a generator inside your home.

Customers who have signed up for I&M mobile alerts will be notified when an estimated time of restoration is established for their outage. Customers can also check the latest restoration information for their account via our website (IndianaMichiganPower.com/Outages ) or our mobile app; search for Indiana Michigan Power in the App Store or Google Play to download it today.

As of 8 p.m. the approximate number of customers who lost service during the windstorm were:

  • Northeast Indiana, including Fort Wayne: 700
  • North-central Indiana, including South Bend and Elkhart: 1,600
  • East-central Indiana, including Muncie and Marion: 1,800
  • Southwest Michigan: 6,300

Stay away from downed power lines and report them to I&M at 800-311-4634 in Indiana and 800-311-6424 in Michigan. Watch out for flying debris and be particularly cautious when driving. Downed trees and branches could block roads.

 

Update: Noon, 2/24/19

High winds are sweeping through I&M’s service territory today as forecast, with wind gusts up to 64 mph reported. As of noon, about 5,900 customers reported being without service.

More than 400 I&M employees and contractors line crews and support staff began working early this morning and have already restored power to some of the customers who lost service.

I&M strongly encourages the public to be aware of the dangers posed by the strong winds. Stay away from any downed lines, and report them to I&M at 800-311-4634 in Indiana and 800-311- 6424 in Michigan. Watch out for flying debris and be particularly cautious when driving. Downed trees and branches could block roads; strong winds can make it difficult for motorists, particular truck drivers, to stay in their lanes.

Strong winds are forecast to continue throughout the day, with higher wind gusts expected early this afternoon. I&M continues to monitor the weather and respond to new outages.

I&M is establishing estimated times of restoration for individual outages as damage is assessed. If outage numbers increase significantly, estimated times for larger areas such as counties or regions may be established later today.

Customers who have signed up for I&M mobile alerts will be notified when an estimated time of restoration is established for their outage. Customers can also check the latest restoration information for their account via our website (IndianaMichiganPower.com/Outages ) or our mobile app; search for Indiana Michigan Power in the App Store or Google Play to download it today.

As of noon, the approximate number of customers who lost service during the windstorm were: Northeast Indiana, including Fort Wayne:1,200

North-central Indiana, including South Bend and Elkhart: 150 East-central Indiana, including Muncie and Marion: 3,100 Southwest Michigan: 1,500

Please be aware that I&M’s ability to use aerial work platforms – often referred to as bucket trucks or cherry pickers – to reach wires, pole tops and transformers can be impeded by high winds, possibly affecting the timeliness of restoration.

Any customer who loses power today should notify I&M by calling the phone number listed above; on the mobile app; or on our Web site.


Update: 10:52 am, 2/24/19

Emergency Power Outage Scheduled in Muncie

Due to high winds that damaged a pole near the intersection of McGalliard Road and Wheeling Avenue in Muncie, I&M must isolate and de-energize the circuit. The circuit will be de-energized at 11 a.m., and the outage will last up to about 3 hours.

The area affected is roughly along McGalliard from Walnut Street to Wheeling, and along Wheeling from McGalliard south for several blocks.

The outage is necessary to prevent more extensive damage requiring a longer outage.


Initial article posting: 2/23/19 7:30pm

Muncie, IN—Indiana and Michigan Power crews are preparing to respond to any damage caused by anticipated strong winds that are forecast for Sunday.

A full complement of line crews, damage assessment specialists, dispatchers and support personnel necessary for storm damage restoration have been called in to work early Sunday. In addition, I&M personnel will be prepared to respond as always to any emergencies overnight.

A prolonged period of sustained high winds of 30 mph or more with frequent gusts that could reach 65 mph are forecast beginning early Sunday and lasting though much of the day. Such sustained winds and strong gusts could cause damage to power lines and other equipment, possibly over a widespread area.

If the wind storm does indeed hit your area, I&M cautions our customers and the public to exercise precautions to protect their safety. Stay away from any downed lines, and report downed wires to I&M at 800-311-4634 in Indiana and 800-311-6424 in Michigan. Remember that damaged trees and branches could fall hours after their initial damage. Downed trees and branches could also block roads, causing safety concerns and affecting I&M’s ability to reach damaged equipment quickly.

Please be aware that I&M’s ability to use aerial work platforms – often referred to as bucket trucks or cherry pickers – to reach wires, pole tops and transformers can be impeded by high winds, possibly affecting the timeliness of restoration.

Customers should report outages to I&M. In addition to calling I&M by phone at the numbers above, customers can report outages and check the latest restoration information for their account via our website (IndianaMichiganPower.com/Outages ) or our mobile app; search for Indiana Michigan Power in the App Store or Google Play to download it today.

Remember that public safety agencies strongly encourage everyone to have an emergency kit on-hand that includes items such as blankets, food, water, a flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio and cell phone with charger.