Indianapolis City Priority Power Restoration Process

This guide explains how priority power restoration requests for hospitals and emergency shelters are handled in Indianapolis, Indiana. It summarizes who coordinates requests, how facilities get on priority lists, expected verification steps, and what to do during an outage to speed reconnection. It is aimed at facility managers, emergency planners, and city staff responsible for continuity of care and shelter operations.

How priority restoration is coordinated

Priority restoration for critical facilities in Indianapolis is coordinated between the facility, its electric utility, and the City Office of Emergency Management. Facilities should enroll or notify the utility of critical status and provide up-to-date contact and site information to both the utility and city emergency planners. For utility-specific enrollment and outage-priority procedures see the utility outage and critical facilities guidance ^[1]. For local coordination and emergency contact protocols consult the Office of Emergency Management guidance for critical infrastructure and response coordination ^[2].

What qualifies as a priority facility

• Hospitals and licensed medical centers with patient care responsibilities.
• Designated emergency shelters serving displaced residents during declared incidents.
• Other critical health and congregate care facilities that provide essential life-safety services.

Request process & verification steps

Typical steps to request priority restoration:

• Confirm facility status and point of contact with the utility and provide critical load and service point details.
• Notify the City Office of Emergency Management of the facility and any changes to operations or shelter activation.
• During an outage, follow the utilitys outage reporting process and request priority restoration citing your registered critical facility status.
• Be ready to provide verification (licenses, activation orders, or patient census) to confirm priority status if requested by the utility or the city.

Penalties & Enforcement

The priority restoration process is operational and contractual between a facility and the electric utility and is coordinated by city emergency managers; it is not typically enforced through municipal fines. Specific monetary penalties, fines, or statutory sanctions for misrepresenting priority status are not publicly specified on the cited municipal or utility guidance pages. The City and utility carry out verification and may remove priority status for false or outdated claims; appeals and dispute resolution are handled through the utilitys customer service and the City Office of Emergency Management.

• Fine amounts: not specified on the cited page.
• Escalation (first/repeat): not specified on the cited page.
• Non-monetary sanctions: removal from priority lists, denial of prioritization, or referral to civil or criminal authorities if fraud is suspected.
• Enforcer: electric utility (customer service/outage operations) with coordination by the City Office of Emergency Management; appeals processed via the utilitys customer service channels or utility-specific review procedures.
• Inspection and complaint pathways: contact the utility outage line and the City Office of Emergency Management for verification and complaints.

Applications & Forms

Utilities often maintain a critical-facilities registration or customer profile; the City does not publish a separate municipal form for priority-power requests. If a utility form exists it will be available directly from the utilitys official outage/critical-facilities page ^[1]. Where the city expects documentation (for example shelter activation orders), that requirement is managed through emergency management coordination and is not published as a separate city form on the cited page.

Action steps for facility managers

• Register your facility with your electric utility as a critical facility and keep contact and load data current.
• Notify the City Office of Emergency Management of facility status and any shelter activations.
• During outages, report outages promptly through the utilitys outage reporting line and request priority restoration if eligible.
• Maintain on-site backup power and test transfer switches and generators regularly to reduce reliance on immediate restoration.

FAQ

How do hospitals get priority for power restoration?

Hospitals register with their electric utility as critical facilities, provide verification documentation when requested, and coordinate with the City Office of Emergency Management to confirm priority status and response plans.

Who verifies shelter priority during widespread outages?

The electric utility will verify registrations and may request shelter activation orders or city emergency manager confirmation; the City Office of Emergency Management supports verification and coordination.

Can a facility appeal a denial of priority status?

Appeals and disputes are handled through the utilitys customer service or formal review procedures; the city can assist with verification but does not adjudicate utility customer service appeals.

How-To

1. Identify your facilitys service points, critical loads, and an official point of contact.
2. Contact your electric utility to enroll or update your critical-facility status and ask about required documentation.
3. Notify the City Office of Emergency Management of your facility and provide any shelter activation or licensing documents if applicable.
4. During an outage, report the outage to the utility, reference your registered priority status, and follow verification requests promptly.
5. Maintain generator readiness and a continuity plan while awaiting utility restoration.

Key Takeaways

• Priority restoration depends on registration with the utility and coordination with city emergency management.
• Verification documents and accurate contact details speed the restoration process.

Help and Support / Resources

• AES Indiana outage and critical facilities information
• City of Indianapolis Office of Emergency Management
• City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works
• Indianapolis-Marion County Public Health resources

1. [1] AES Indiana outage and critical facilities information
2. [2] City of Indianapolis Office of Emergency Management