Gary Power Outage Leaves Families Without Electricity Nearly Two Weeks After Storm

Gary residents endure a long wait for electricity after destructive winds

GARY, Ind. — Thousands of residents in Gary remained without electricity Saturday, nearly two weeks after an Aug. 11 storm carrying winds reported at up to 99 mph tore through Northwest Indiana, downing trees, damaging power infrastructure and leaving families to rely on generators, battery-powered lights and community aid.

For Melissa Dixon, 46, the outage has transformed routine tasks into daily challenges. Dixon and six relatives have been living without power in their Glen Park neighborhood home for 12 days, using an LED light for meals and coping with the limitations of a generator that does not provide dependable electricity for the household.

The prolonged Gary power outage has left residents scrambling to preserve food, charge phones and find ways to escape the heat. Some people told the Chicago Sun-Times they have repeatedly bought gasoline to keep generators running, while others have watched DVDs from their vehicles or gathered with neighbors for meals and support.

NIPSCO, the utility serving the area, said full restoration of service in Gary was not expected until Tuesday. The company has been working to restore electricity and clear storm-related damage across Northwest Indiana following the powerful wind event.

Residents turn to schools and neighbors for support

As the wait continued, a local school has also operated as a community resource center, offering residents a place to gather and access hot lunches. For households without working refrigerators, air conditioning or reliable lighting, those services have become an important lifeline during the extended disruption.

The length of the outage has intensified frustration among customers who say they need clearer answers about restoration timelines and the condition of the electrical system. A class-action lawsuit filed by area residents alleges NIPSCO failed to adequately protect power lines from tree damage before the storms swept through the region.

NIPSCO has strongly disputed the claims and said it stands by its vegetation-management practices. The lawsuit remains an allegation, and no court ruling was reported.

Severe windstorms can cause especially complicated restoration work because utility crews must first assess hazards, remove fallen trees and repair damaged poles, wires and other equipment before neighborhoods can be safely reconnected. The impact in Gary illustrates how a major storm can leave residents facing hardships long after the rain and wind have passed.

For Dixon’s family and other Gary households still in the dark, the immediate concern remains getting through each day until service returns. NIPSCO said it anticipates power will be fully restored in Gary by Tuesday, while the legal dispute over the utility’s preparedness is ongoing.