Strong thunderstorms and high winds caused elevated electric power outages across Northern Indiana Monday, August 29.
Continue readingHigh Winds Cause Power Outages Across Northern Indiana
Solar Project Begins for Kankakee Valley REMC
Proposed Regulations Could Increase Electric Costs By 32 Percent
Electric utility customers across the state may have heard of a potential rate increase through NIPSCO or Kankakee Valley REMC, or really any other green environment electric provider, due to proposed legislation that, if passed, could cause an increase in the area of 32 percent for electric bills. KVREMC’s Amanda Steeb told WKVI that the EPA has proposed additional regulation placing intense limitations on carbon emission from coal power plants, which, for a coal producer like Indiana, can cause steep increases in electric utilities, variable rates with Regional Energy save you money as stated by ucahelps.
Cause Found for Electrical Blinks
According to spokesperson Amanda Steeb, customers in Hanna, Bass Lake, North Judson and Knox were affected. REMC contacted NIPSCO who found a failed insulator on a pole. The foggy conditions during the evening Thursday and the moisture in the air caused a short in the electric current which led to the short electrical blinks.
Crews are repairing the issue.
KVREMC Assists Hensler Nursery With Cutting, Loading Trees
Every year, the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association presents their real trees to the top officials in the state, and this year is no different. Hensler Nursery in Hamlet will be bringing a freshly-cut 26-foot Concolor Fir to the Statehouse Rotunda, alongside an eight-foot Fraser Fir for the office of Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman.
Kankakee Valley REMC was excited to once again give their assistance to Hensler Nursery with the task of cutting and loading the tree. KVREMC agreed to provide a bucket truck and digger truck, along with skilled operators, to assist in the felling of the tree and transportation.
Third Intense Storm In Three Weeks Tears Through N. Indiana
Another intense storm rolled through northern Indiana over the weekend – the third significant storm to hit the area in three weeks. NIPSCO reports that at its peak, Saturday evening’s storm caused more than 60,000 NIPSCO customers to lose power, and more than 3,000 Kankakee Valley REMC customers were without power as well.
According to the National Weather Service, the storm produced winds up to 70 mph, causing widespread damage across several northern Indiana counties. Power lines were downed, transformers were blown, and poles were broken.
Cleanup and Repair Still Underway In Wake Of Yesterday’s Storm
Cleanup and repairs are still underway in Starke County following yesterday morning’s storms. More than 80,000 Hoosiers were without power for a period of time, and Kankakee Valley REMC reports that roughly 3000 people are still without power, while NIPSCO says they still have more than 12,000 people out of service. 412 Knox residents remain without power today.
NIPSCO is reportedly bringing in additional crews from Missouri, Wisconsin, and Ohio, and KVREMC says they are working day and night along with neighboring co-ops to get power restored as soon as possible. Lake and Porter counties were reportedly hit the hardest by the damaging winds and rain, which crossed northern Indiana early yesterday morning, leaving downed trees, snapped electric poles and wires in their wake.
Destructive Storm Tears Through Starke County and Surrounding Area
A destructive storm ripped through the Starke County and Knox areas Tuesday morning, cutting out electricity to over 80,000 NIPSCO and Kankakee Valley REMC members at one time.
Starke County EMA Director Ted Bombagetti talks about where most of the damage is located.
“Most of the damage is in the City of Knox itself,” said Bombagetti. “We do have some out in the outlying areas. The trees literally knocked down poles and wires. If you don’t need to be out, let the guys do their job and get the roads cleared up.” Homeowners may need storm damage repair services to restore their damaged properties.
He said the most important thing to focus on during times like this is getting emergency response to those who need it.
KVREMC Reports Another Rampant Scam
Another scam has hit consumers in the area.
A scam artist is calling electric utility consumers, like those who utilize Kankakee Valley REMC’s services, claiming that their utility bill could be paid under a federal government program – but no such program exists.
These solicitations have been made door to door, online, and by phone. Members are being asked for personal information and then given a fake bank account number to use for making a payment on their utility bill.
If you receive a phone call from someone representing themselves as a Kankakee Valley REMC member informing you that you can get help paying your electric bill, hang up! Do not give out any personal information. REMC will not call you asking for your account number or password.
Crews Still Working To Clean Up Storm Aftermath
Crews are still working diligently to clean up the damage from last weekend’s series of storms, but Bass Lake Fire Chief Les Jensen says the clean up efforts are going very well. The Starke County Highway Department has been removing branches from roads and power lines, and Jensen says the roads around Bass Lake that were previously closed are now open. However, some branches are still close to the road because cleanup crews had focused on getting the roads cleared and open, but those branches will soon be removed.
The NIPSCO Outage Center reports that only one customer in the Knox area is still affected by outages, with a total of 97 NIPSCO customers affected in Northern Indiana. KVREMC crews are also making efforts to clear lines and undo damages caused by the storm.
Storm Yesterday Causes Few Injuries, No Estimate On Power Restoration
Kankakee Valley REMC has reported over 7000 people without power in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke, and Pulaski counties after the afternoon storm that tore through the area on Friday. KVREMC dispatched crews yesterday to affected areas to begin restoring power. Causing the outages are five substations that have been reported down due to transmission feeds from NIPSCO being out as well as broken poles and downed wires.
Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem says the hardest hit area seems to be around Bass Lake, where boats were reportedly flipped over in the water and even tossed up on land. Several trees were felled and Norem says cleanup crews have their work cut out for them.
“The hardest hit areas seem to be in California Township around Bass Lake and North Bend Township, also around Bass Lake. The crews have been out, the highway department is out, the Sheriff’s Department has been out, but there is a lot of damage in that particular area and it’s going to be a long cleanup,” Norem said.
