Portage Mayor Austin Bonta used his “bully pulpit” to invite NIPSCO to a public meeting for a presentation on infrastructure and reliability in Portage and Northwest Indiana.
That follows a meeting Bonta had with NIPSCO brass to open dialogue on concerns and opportunities in Portage.
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After the June 11 severe storms that spawned tornadoes in Northwest Indiana and caused extensive damage throughout the region, Portage was among the last communities to have electricity fully restored.
Bonta, as current president of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, is concerned about all of the region, not just his city, so he asked NIPSCO officials to meet with the public to do a presentation on the state of the electrical infrastructure and its current plans to upgrade it.
“This is really a discussion for the whole region,” he said.
NIPSCO responded Tuesday to a request for comment.
“NIPSCO is committed to being a transparent and trusted partner, actively engaging with local elected officials, community leaders, customers and stakeholders to highlight the investments we are making in critical infrastructure to ensure the delivery of safe, reliable energy,” the utility said.
“Opportunities like our customer care center events across our service area provide a direct way for customers to ask questions and learn more about how we are strengthening the system that serves them, with plans to expand these events in the coming months,” NIPSCO said. “These conversations reflect our ongoing investments in electric infrastructure and reliability.”
“To meet evolving energy demands, we are investing in both the physical infrastructure customers can see and the technology behind the scenes that help keep the system running safely and reliably. NIPSCO continues to modernize and harden the electric system to better withstand severe weather and reduce outage impacts. This includes reinforcing substations, upgrading and strengthening distribution lines and transitioning to more durable infrastructure, such as replacing wood poles with stronger, longer-lasting materials. In 2025, more than 1,500 poles were upgraded, with nearly 400 more currently in progress—helping build a more resilient system that can better withstand storm conditions,” NIPSCO said.
“We are also modernizing the ‘brain’ of the grid through advanced technologies, including advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), sensors and automation that provide real-time system visibility. These tools allow us to detect issues faster and respond more precisely. In 2025, smart grid technology helped avoid outages for approximately 12,000 customers, with an additional 8,800 customers benefiting as of June 2026. This represents about 1.8 million minutes of interruptions prevented. During storms, advanced metering technology has also helped avoid more than 750 truck rolls, saving valuable field response time and allowing crews to focus on restoring outages more quickly,” NIPSCO said.
Between 2021 and 2025, NIPSCO invested $1.5 billion across its northern Indiana service area to improve electric infrastructure and reliability, the company said.
“NIPSCO remains focused on continuous improvement and values the ongoing feedback of our customers and community partners as we make these critical investments to support northern Indiana today and for generations to come,” the utility said.
Bonta said he has been working with NIPSCO for three years to build a good working relationship.
In his meeting with company executives, he brought up projected growth on the city’s north side, including the 300-acre site owned by the Redevelopment Commission. The city made a pitch for the Chicago Bears for that site that, while unsuccessful in baiting the Bears, drew the attention of a lot of developers.
A new sewer interceptor line in that area will also fuel growth.
NIPSCO wants to work on making the city’s and the utility’s goals mesh, Bonta said.
Bonta hopes to convince NIPSCO to hold the public meeting by the end of summer or this fall.
Last year, the City Council voted unanimously, minus one abstention, to urge the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission not to approve a rate increase for NIPSCO.
Gov. Mike Braun recently removed Andy Zay as IURC chairman, just six months after Zay took over the role. Braun appointed Anthony Swinger to replace him.
“Affordability is my top priority and I am confident Chairman Swinger will deliver on that priority for Hoosiers,” Braun wrote in an X post.
“Affordability is a question for the entire region,” Bonta said.
The city installed a new solar field at the wastewater treatment plant to reduce the plant’s NIPSCO bill. Half of the solar field has been switched on after receiving NIPSCO approval, but the other half remains turned off while waiting for that permission.
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Utilities Superintendent Tracie Marshall said some of the solar panels were damaged in the June 11 storm that hammered the area around the plant.
Bonta said residents have called City Hall after the power goes out at their homes to find out when power will be restored.
“We’re just another customer,” he said. NIPSCO customers can visit the company’s website to view the outage map and get an estimate of when power might be restored.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.