Thirty miles east of Chicago, a city remains in the dark. As of Monday, Aug. 24, more than 7,000 residents of Gary, Indiana, are without electricity. The outage followed severe storms, which began on Aug. 11 and caused deadly floods in the state that have killed at least seven people.
For two weeks, the people of Gary have been forced to weather the late summer heat without electricity. Many residents have taken to social media to express the direness of this situation.
But what happened in Gary wasn’t just Mother Nature’s doing. Gary residents didn’t just experience a freak weather event. They were victims of layers upon layers of systemic failures that left a vulnerable population to fend for themselves for far too long.
Black people make up
nearly 80% of the city's population. One third of the city lives in poverty. Marginalized groups being failed by systems in the wake of a natural disaster is no strange occurrence in America, but as our country's cracks widen, tragedies like these seem more and more inevitable – even intentional.
For more than 50 years, Gary has borne the brunt of extreme deindustrialization and disinvestment that have left the city with few resources to meet the needs of its residents. Decades of disenfranchisement and neglect toward its population made Gary prime for the devastation we’re seeing now.
Hold power company, and data centers, accountable
Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (NIPSCO), a monopoly utility that Hoosiers pay to keep them powered through disasters, has apparently failed to protect its customers. A class-action lawsuit has been filed claiming inadequate vegetation management and a possible misuse of funds for infrastructure and reliability improvements that led to the widespread blackout.
Like many other states, Indiana has entered the data center race and is particularly attractive due to the availability of cheap land. And NIPSCO is leading the effort.
In October, NIPSCO launched a spinoff company, GenCo, to shirk many of the regulatory proceedings typically required before power plants can be built in the state. NIPSCO claims this move will provide the copious energy that data centers require without increasing costs for customers. But anyone who’s been sentient during this data center epidemic should find that claim laughable.
Unsurprisingly, customers say their power bills skyrocketed earlier this year, with some reportedly as high as $1,447 for one month. Luckily, NIPSCO boasted half a billion dollars in profits since January. If only the company would use that to improve infrastructure or the terrible working conditions that have union members referring to themselves as “slave laborers.”
Gary, Indiana, isn't an isolated incident
What happened and is happening in Gary is no isolated incident. Many other areas in Northwest Indiana are still without power, and now Memphis, Tennessee, is going through a similar situation.
As data centers overload grids across the country, power outages like the ones we’re seeing will only become more frequent. Tech oligarchs and government officials will do anything to line their pockets and fulfill their artificial intelligence pipe dreams.
Reliable electricity, clean drinking water and the overall quality of life for some of the most underserved populations in our country are just collateral to them.
So much of modern American life seems to be getting worse. Between a laundry list of food recalls and mysterious illnesses spawning, to the defunding of infrastructure meant to keep us safe while turning militarized police forces on its own citizens, the loyalty of the U.S. government doesn’t lie with the American people.
Instead, the powers that be would rather focus on a foreign war we’re losing and aiding our “ally” in committing a genocide. Even the military isn’t exempt from the government's cruelty.
But there is still light in the darkness. The people of Gary have come together to help those in need. Food influencer Keith Lee, NBA player Tyrese Haliburton and the Salvation Army have helped distribute food, storm relief, cleaning supplies and community resources. World Central Kitchen has done its thing. Even the Chicago Bears have stepped up to fund relief for their neighbors.
When those above us turn a blind eye, it’s up to us to see each other.
Kofi Mframa is a columnist and digital producer at USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Two weeks. No power. Gary, Indiana, failed Black citizens. | Opinion
