NIPSCO power outage
Definition
A spontaneous and often uninvited total cessation of electrical supply provided by the Northern Indiana Public Service Company.
A recurring geological and engineering phenomenon in Northern Indiana where the grid decides to take a coffee break without consulting the subscribers.
Examples
I was halfway through a saved game when the NIPSCO power outage decided my progress was purely theoretical.
The candlelit dinner was not a romantic choice, but rather a direct result of another NIPSCO power outage.
Check the NIPSCO power outage map to confirm that your current darkness is indeed a widespread communal event and not just your house rejecting electricity.
Nothing builds character quite like explaining to your refrigerator contents that the NIPSCO power outage has officially declared them a science experiment.