A class-action lawsuit has been filed against NIPSCO, the Indiana power company under fire as thousands have been left without power for weeks following devastating storms earlier this month.
The suit alleges NIPSCO failed to maintain vegetation around power lines, leading to the widespread and long-lasting power outages that have plagued the region.
The suit includes several plaintiffs, including Porter County resident Jack Tipold, who said he was having his teeth extracted when the power went out.
“I was supposed to have my imaging done and my implants made. They lost total power. They didn’t have generators. They couldn’t back it up. They sent me home. I got home to my house. No power. No ice,” Tipold said.
Attorneys who filed the lawsuit said they want to see NIPSCO follow a vegetation management program so such outages don’t happen again. They’re also seeking damages for impacted residents.
For its part, NIPSCO’s website states it “regularly” trims trees “to ensure your power is both safe and reliable. Our team of experts carefully and safely trims trees away from power lines to avoid power outages.”
The company said it “strongly disagrees” with the claims in the lawsuit, saying it has an “active vegetation management program” in place and that it’s spend on vegetation management has more than doubled since 2016.
“NIPSCO understands the impact that prolonged outages can have on our customers and communities, particularly following storms, and in particular, the severe weather events that caused unprecedented damage across NIPSCO’s electric system that recently transpired,” the company told NBC Chicago in a statement. “Safety and reliability are fundamental to how we operate, and we have established processes and procedures to maintain our electric system, including our vegetation management program. Our immediate focus remains on restoring service to affected customers safely and as quickly as possible.”
In Indiana, more than 40,000 were still without power as of Friday morning, down from the more than 400,000 reported after the Aug. 11 storms.
NIPSCO officials previously noted that trees played a role in the region’s outages.
“There are vast differences that are system related. The impact that came through, the trees, the infrastructure, the access – that’s the difference,” NISOURCE Executive VP Melody Birmingham said earlier this week.
According to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, NIPSCO charges the highest rates of any electrical utility in the state.
“All electrical utilities know downed trees and vegetation are the main cause of power outages. They also know some tree species will grow back into power lines in as soon as five years. “But instead of trimming trees proactively on a 5-7 year cycle to prevent foreseeable outages, NIPSCO simply reacts. This needs to change,” Attorney Otto J. Shragal said in a statement.
