Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinions of The Reporter, its publisher or its staff. You can submit your own Letter to the Editor by email to News@ReadTheReporter.com. Please include your phone number and city of residence. The Reporter will publish one letter per person per week.
Dear Editor:
To those who waited and those who worked: Thank you.
The storm that ripped through Indiana June 29 proved to be one of the most devastating to ever hit Duke Energy’s Indiana system. It was followed by multiple waves of storms for several days that added to the destruction. Approximately 330,000 power outages occurred as more than 150 miles of power lines and more than 200 utility poles succumbed to the storms’ violent winds. Only Hurricane Ike in 2008 caused more damage in our Indiana service area.
We’re grateful to our customers who waited patiently for their power to be restored. Storms are rarely convenient, disrupting evenings, holidays, and weekends. However, they also have a way of bringing out the best in our communities. We brought in more than 1,000 additional workers to supplement our statewide workforce, and when they needed lodging or staging areas, Indiana University, Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and DePauw University opened their campuses.
To those line workers, damage assessors, vegetation crews, call center representatives and others both at home in Indiana and outside our service area, thank you for your long hours and dedication. When it was most needed, you all answered the call for help.
As we put this storm in the record books and hope not to repeat it soon, we will long remember the way our communities and employees came together to respond.
Stan Pinegar
President, Duke Energy Indiana
Mark LaBarr
Duke Energy Government and Community Relations Manager, Hamilton County