1:01 p.m. update
Power has been restored to the remaining customers in the Scipio area, Duke Energy spokesman Chip Orben said.
11:32 a.m. update
Duke Energy crews are still investigating the cause of a power outage this morning in the greater North Vernon area that still has some customers without power.
The area impacted is from Scipo to the intersection western tip of North Vernon, but the city’s downtown is not impacted, Orben said.
Power is expected to be restored by 1:30 p.m., Orben said.
Original story
SCIPIO, Ind. — More than 800 Duke Energy customers in Scipio and the western tip of North Vernon remain without power this morning, including Scipio Elementary, according to a Duke spokesman.
A power outage at 3:59 a.m. affected the greater North Vernon area, Duke spokesman Chip Orben said. Multiple crews are working to restore power, but the cause of the outage remains unknown. The estimated time for restoration of power is 11:30 a.m., he added.
The widespread outage this morning prompted Jennings County School Corp. to issue a two-hour delay for classes.
Scipio Elementary is the only school still without power, but it is going ahead with classes, Jennings County Schools Superintendent Teresa Brown said. Artificial lighting from generators has been set up in the hallways and classes, and sack lunches have been prepared for the students, she added.
Scipio students who were kept home by their parents because of the outage will not be penalized, the superintendent said.
The morning power outage followed an evening outage for about 800 North Vernon residents when the city’s fire department asked Duke Energy to de-energize some of its power lines so it could get equipment to a fire, Orben said.
Please read Thursday’s edition of The Republic for more information.
