FORT WAYNE, Ind., June 15, 2013 – As Indiana Michigan Power works to complete restoration efforts throughout the Michigan service territory, line crews are facing significant challenges in restoring service to a pocket of customers living near Lake Michigan.

Of the 15,000 Michigan customers who were without power as a result of the storm, all but 133 will be restored by Sunday evening. The customers affected are located on fire lanes, between Blue Star Highway on the east, Lake Michigan on the west, Hagar Shore Road on the south and County Road 378 on the north.

Restoring power to the remaining 133 customers is challenging. They are located in an environmentally sensitive area on the shore of Lake Michigan and the damage in this area is extensive.  A significant number of structures and several miles of wire were destroyed by the storm and crews will have to repair and replace a large portion of the circuit. 

The lanes, many of which are very narrow, winding gravel roads, are in the critical dunes area, which is regulated by the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. Many of the poles and lines go across the terrain rather than along the fire lanes. Environmental regulations prohibit our crews from driving their trucks into the dunes beyond the existing roads.  Instead, linemen must physically carry in the supplies and equipment needed to restore the electricity to this area.

I&M is working to restore customers as quickly as possible while maintaining its commitment to protecting the environment and keeping this area beautiful.  I&M is working to balance the speed of restoration with the sensitive environmental concerns in this area.

As power is restored to the rest of Michigan, I&M will continue to move crews to this area to maximize the total manpower.  Current estimates indicate that it will take more than a week to have these customers restored fully.

I&M has attempted to personally contact all residents in this area. If you are affected and have questions or concerns, please call our Customer Solutions Center at 800-311-6424.

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Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its 2,500 employees serve more than 582,000 customers. It operates 3,595 MW of coal-fired generation in Indiana, 2,110 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan and 22 MW of hydro generation in both states.  The company also provides its customers 250 MW of purchased wind generation.

I&M is a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 39,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.