Full Breakdown
Gary, Indiana Still Dark After August 11 Derecho
8/23/2026, 12:16:06 AM
The Storm and Immediate Outage
On August 11, a derecho with winds near 99 mph ripped through Gary, Indiana, toppling trees onto power lines and shattering the city’s electric grid. Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) reported that the event knocked out electricity for more than 300,000 customers across the region, with Gary experiencing the most extensive outage in its service territory. Seven people died statewide as the storm also produced tornadoes and severe flooding.
Timeline of Restoration Efforts
- August 11 – Derecho strikes, causing the largest outage in NIPSCO’s history.
- August 14 – While crews assessed damage, a NIPSCO vehicle was shot at in Gary, briefly halting work.
- August 17 – Some residents reported power restoration after nearly a week.
- August 20 – NIPSCO’s outage map showed 24,743 Gary customers still without electricity, roughly 39 % of the 63,500 total outages in Northwest Indiana.
- August 25 (scheduled) – NIPSCO announced a target to fully restore power to Gary by 11:59 p.m.
Scale of Outage (Data & Statistics)
Reported figures for customers still in the dark vary widely:
- Sun-Times cited 22,000 of 35,800 Gary customers without power.
- The Chicago Tribune listed 25,560 remaining outages.
- Blockclub Chicago noted 41,500 customers still without service.
- The Guardian reported 33,124 customers without power.
Impact on Residents and Services
The blackout has crippled daily life. Gary Community School Corporation schools remain closed, affecting over 4,300 students. Businesses have either shut down or operated on limited generators, incurring lost revenue and fuel costs. Health risks have risen; Indiana University Indianapolis professor Courtney Page-Tan notes that “nine days is a long time for a community to be without power,” citing carbon-monoxide danger from generators and spoilage of refrigerated medication.
Official Statements & Responses
Melody Birmingham, group utilities president at NiSource (NIPSCO’s parent company), explained that Gary suffered “extensive and complex damage” from wind-driven trees, requiring repair of 300 damaged poles, 44 transmission poles, and 27 substation outages. She said the utility is 95 % confident it will meet the August 25 deadline and emphasized that the restoration timeline reflects “system-related” challenges.
Mayor Eddie Melton criticized NIPSCO for initially omitting Gary from its public restoration list, demanding more transparent communication and additional linemen.
Governor Mike Braun declared a major disaster, mobilizing the Indiana National Guard, Department of Transportation, and other agencies to assist NIPSCO crews. He called the ongoing outages “unacceptable” and pledged continued state support.
NIPSCO’s public email thanked customers for their patience, affirmed that crews are working “around the clock,” and promised continued updates.
Criticism & Opposition
“That's ridiculous. It's unacceptable. They need to do better,” — Bridget Sanders, Gary resident
Darren Washington, vice president of the Gary Common Council, called the two-week lag “absolutely unacceptable” and blamed NIPSCO’s neglect of a low-income community.
Some residents have alleged that NIPSCO’s vegetation-management practices contributed to the outage; the utility has denied any race-based or socioeconomic bias, reiterating that damage was driven by the storm’s intensity.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Customer counts differ from 20,000 to over 41,000, reflecting inconsistent outage maps and updates.
- Cause of delay is contested: NIPSCO cites infrastructure damage, while local officials point to alleged failures in tree-trimming and security concerns after the August 14 shooting.
- Restoration timelines remain uncertain for several neighborhoods; NIPSCO’s map lists Gary as “undetermined” while providing specific dates for nearby towns.
