Community resilience hubs

Weather-related power outages are rising.

Between 2011 and 2021, the U.S. experienced 64% more major power outages than the previous decade (Climate Central 2022). More than 80% of these outages can be attributed to a weather-related event (Climate Central 2022).

Indiana has been affected by this trend. From 2020 to 2024, the state was impacted by 31 severe storm events with losses exceeding $1 billion, more than any previous five-year period (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 2025). In 2024 alone, a record 57 tornadoes were sighted in the state (Indiana Geographic Information Office 2025).

Upticks in severe storms and tornado outbreaks have coincided with warmer seasonal temperatures that support thunderstorm formation (Nouri et al. 2021). Since 1895, average annual temperatures in Indiana have risen 1.2 degrees Celsius due to climate change (Widhalm et al. 2018).

Each severe storm event has the capacity to leave tens of thousands of Hoosiers without power. As weather-related outages rise, installing more solar and battery microgrids is one way to ensure Indiana residents have access to critical services in the wake of extreme weather.

64percent increase in power outages experienced in the U.S. between 2011 and 2021 compared to the previous decade

31severe storms with losses exceeding $1B impacted Indiana from 2020 to 2024

97 power outages of more than 72 hours experienced by Indiana counties from 2020 to 2024

Urban and rural communities stand to gain from community resilience hubs.

From 2020 to 2024, Indiana experienced more than 850,000 widespread power outages, the majority of them in high-population areas (Chandroth et al. 2025). While counties with large populations experienced more outages, the longest outages occurred in rural counties, which can be more challenging for utility companies to access during times of disaster.

Have questions about resilience hubs?

ERI's Indiana Resilience Funding Hub (IRFH) is helping communities fund their energy and resilience projects. Local governments and their partners can contact us with questions about community resilience hubs and pathways to funding them.

Contact the IRFH team

 

In addition, low-income urban neighborhoods and rural communities face higher energy burdens than other populations. A 2020 survey found 15% of low-income households in Indiana reported they could not pay an energy bill in the prior month (Konisky et al. 2020). In the U.S., rural communities pay about 40% more of their income on energy bills (Ross et al. 2018). 

Incorporating community resilience hubs into these communities can help reduce energy access inequities and ensure that vulnerable populations have a place to turn to during times of need.