ST. LOUIS (Oct. 30, 2020) – Ameren Missouri co-workers from across the state are heading to Birmingham, Alabama before sunrise tomorrow to assist in repairing damage and restoring power to communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Zeta.
The company's personnel and contractors, including linemen, fleet, logistics and safety will assist crews from Alabama Power. Ameren Missouri personnel will deploy tomorrow morning beginning at 4 a.m. Earlier this year, Ameren provided assistance to sister utilities in Arkansas following Tropical Storm Laura and to communities in need in New Jersey and Connecticut after Hurricane Isaias pounded the East Coast.
Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois are voluntary members of the electric power industry's mutual assistance network through the Edison Electric Institute. When called upon, a company will send either company employees, contractors or both, along with specialized equipment to help with the restoration efforts of a fellow company. In essence, it allows a utility hit by a major or catastrophic storm to expand its workforce by borrowing field personnel from other companies in unaffected areas. Following some large storms here, Ameren has called upon other utilities for assistance and has a history of helping other utilities, providing support with catastrophic events such as Hurricane Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017, Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Just as they do in Missouri, Ameren response personnel and crews are taking extra precautions to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19. Preventive actions such as social distancing and use of masks, protective eyewear and gloves, are being followed. Safety is one of Ameren's core values.
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 132,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.