INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana governor Mike Braun is calling for an investigation into NIPSCO following outages that have left many without power for nearly two weeks.

The governor directed the state's Office of Utility Consumer Counselor to file a complaint to and petition the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to investigate the utility provider. This would include a review of NIPSCO's preparation for and response to weather-related outages. 

Specific points cited by the governor's office include whether NIPSCO properly maintained vegetation and cleared rights-of-way to protect infrastructure, as well as whether state funds for infrastructure and reliability improvements were spent as promised.

“NIPSCO is a monopoly utility that Hoosiers pay every month with the expectation that it will use its considerable resources to maintain its system, prepare for severe weather and restore service as quickly as possible when disaster strikes," says Gov. Braun. "NIPSCO has failed to keep its end of the bargain."

The governor's office says some 10-thousand Indiana residents remain without power.