Indiana power companies gearing up for possible outages

Indiana utility companies are preparing for severe weather.

A mix of heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain and high winds will move across the state Wednesday and Thursday.

AES Indiana spokesperson Kelly Young said crews and contractors are ready to respond if power outages occur. She encouraged customers to call if they experience a power outage.

“Don’t assume if you have power out that your neighbor has called, so please report that if you do have an outage and you are experiencing an outage please call so we can report it, know about it” Young said.

Customers can report downed power lines and outages at aesindiana.com or call (317) 261-8111.

Duke Energy has called in 300 additional response workers from out-of-state utilities – including line workers, damage assessors and vegetation crews – to supplement local crews and speed power restoration. Crews will work around-the-clock to restore power in impacted communities as quickly as possible.

Duke customers can report power outages by texting “OUT” to 57801, or by calling 1-800-343-3525. They may also report an outage online at duke-energy.com/outages or through the company’s mobile app.

A winter storm warning is in effect Wednesday morning to Friday morning for most of the state. The National Weather Service said the precipitation will transition from rain, to ice to heavy snow as the storm moves through the state. 

Ice buildup on trees and branches that causes them to fall on power lines is usually the main culprit behind power outages during a winter storm.

Contact WFYI Morning Edition newscaster and reporter Taylor Bennett at tbennett@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @TaylorB2213.