Midwest Storms Knock Out Power to Over 729,000 Homes and Businesses
Severe storms across the US Midwest have caused over 729,000 power outages, with Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois most affected.
Severe thunderstorms sweeping across the US Midwest have left more than 729,000 homes and businesses without power, according to data from PowerOutage.us. The storms, which are expected to continue into Thursday, are bringing damaging wind gusts and the threat of dangerous flash flooding to the Plains, Midwest, and East.
Indiana has been the hardest-hit state, with approximately 297,000 outages, affecting about 9% of the state's 3.3 million customers. The utility Northern Indiana Public Service Co (NIPSCO) accounts for the majority of these disruptions, with around 273,900 customers without service—roughly 59% of its 468,000 customers in the state.
NIPSCO, a subsidiary of NiSource, reported widespread damage to its electric infrastructure, including downed poles, power lines, and trees. The company stated that it is currently assessing the damage and will provide estimated restoration times once complete. Due to the scale and geographic spread of the damage, customers should expect restoration efforts to extend over multiple days in some areas.
Other major utilities reporting significant outages include units of Exelon, Duke Energy, and American Electric Power. Ohio has seen around 200,900 outages, Illinois 147,000, Kentucky 62,900, and West Virginia 21,500, contributing to the regional total of 729,600.