News Releases

With a winter storm forecasted to impact downstate Illinois beginning mid-day today, the Ameren Illinois Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated and employees have been placed on alert.

Ron Pate, Ameren Illinois vice president of operations and technical support, said Ameren Illinois is taking the following actions:

• All emergency response personnel have been given an opportunity to prepare themselves and their families should conditions deteriorate.
• Weather conditions are being monitored for any changes that may impact service.
• All Ameren Illinois and contractor personnel have been placed on alert.
• Trucks will be fueled and loaded with supplies so they are ready for immediate deployment.
• Ameren Illinois is deploying Storm Trailers to southern Illinois. These trailers are filled with materials field crews need to perform their restoration work. The trailers can be moved to various staging sites to provide materials close to the area with the most damage.
   

Customer safety tips

“Safety is our priority every day of the year, but it takes on added significance when severe weather strikes,” Pate said. “It is vital for residents to stay away from downed power lines because these lines may still be energized. If you see one, please report to us at 800-755-5000. During an outage, we ask you to stay indoors after sunset because downed lines may not be visible. Stay away from brush, shrubs and fallen trees that may be hiding these lines.”

The measures customers should take to prepare for a power outage or loss of natural gas service are similar to those needed to prepare for any emergency situation.

• Call Ameren Illinois at 800-755-5000 as soon as possible to report a downed line or natural gas odor.
• Detailed safety and outage information is available at IllinoisOutage.com. Customers with mobile devices can visit www.ameren.mobi.
• Sign up for outage alerts and we will text or email restoration updates after you report an outage. Learn more at Ameren.com/alerts.
• If your electric service is interrupted, be sure to unplug or protect sensitive computer and electronic equipment with a high-quality surge protector.
• When severe weather is predicted, make certain your cell phone is fully charged. Also, remember that cordless land line telephones will not function in the event of a power outage.
   

Customers who use portable generators during a power outage must remember that they can become deadly when not used properly. The National Electric Code (NEC) requires those who install a portable generator to also install a safety disconnect switch prevent the electricity produced by the generator from feeding back into the utility lines. Never plug a generator directly into an outlet to power a home.

Back feeding electricity into utility lines thought to be de-energized could result in damage to property. More seriously, back fed power poses an unseen hazard to utility personnel who are working on the power lines. In the event power is back fed into downed power lines, anyone coming into contact with those lines could be seriously injured or killed.

A portable generator can be used to directly power appliances. Use heavy-duty extension cords that are specifically designed for outdoor use. Make sure the wattage rating for each cord exceeds the total wattage of all appliances connected to it. Use extension cords that are long enough to allow the generator to be placed outdoors and far away from windows, doors and vents to the home or to other structures that could be occupied. Check that the entire length of each cord is free of cuts or tears and that the plug has all three prongs. Protect the cord from getting pinched or crushed if it passes through a window or doorway.

Portable generators also must never be operated inside a garage or other building as generator engines produce deadly carbon monoxide.

In addition to the safety and outage information available at IllinoisOutage.com, customers and media can receive timely updates on outage restoration by following the Ameren Illinois news feed at twitter.com/AmerenIllinois.

About Ameren Illinois

Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and 806,000 natural gas customers in Illinois. Our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally-responsible manner. Our service area covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com or find us on Twitter @AmerenIllinois.

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CONTACT: Stacey Shangraw, 309.677.5073, sstockton-shangraw@ameren.com; Brian Bretsch, 618.343.8087, bbretsch@ameren.com; Marcelyn Love, 217.535.5116, mlove@ameren.com