Some Muncie residents unsatisfied with power restorations

MUNCIE -- Indiana Michigan Power said it was trying to restore electricity to all of its customers who lost electricity because of an ice storm, but some residents said they were not satisfied with the efforts.\nI&M restored power to 90 percent of the 114,000 east-central Indiana customers who lost electricity late last week. About 1,600 customers remained without power in the affected area Wednesday night, 575 in Muncie, according to the company's Web site.\nDave Fisher told The Star Press that he does not understand why his suburban home in an area where utility lines are buried has not regained power.\n"My main concern is it's supposed to get cold this weekend," Fisher said. "I'm going to have to do something to keep my pipes from freezing."\nAnother customer, B.K. Wilson, wanted numerous questions answered as he said I&M needs accountability.\nHe said more than 100 power company trucks were in a department store parking lot this morning and last night "doing nothing."\n"They are certainly not giving the citizens of Muncie what they deserve. This is absolutely ridiculous," he said.\nThe technology of the power grid is complicated, said I&M spokesman Jim Riggle. Fisher's house could be out of power, for example, because of something happening two miles down the road. Repair crews are working 16-hour days with their trucks parked during rest periods and when workers are waiting for materials to arrive, such as transformers, Riggle said.\nThe Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission said it has received about 30 calls from concerned customers of I&M since the power outage started.\nIURC spokeswoman Mary Beth Fisher said the commission can always open an investigation, but not now as the focus was getting all power back on.\nDelaware County emergency management director Bill Gosnell said no investigation was needed. He said a few people will always complain, and that there was not enough good he can say about the company.\nAbout 1,800 workers from eight states besides Indiana were restoring power, the largest mobilization in response to a power outage in I&M history, Riggle said.\n"With this ice storm, it's just like several tornadoes hit all at one time in a small area," Riggle said