EFFINGHAM, Ill. (FEBRUARY 22, 2021) – Ameren Illinois crews have started work on a substation expansion project on the northwest side Effingham that will enhance electric service reliability, add resiliency to the local grid and support future residential and business growth.
"The City of Effingham is excited to learn Ameren Illinois is investing in upgrades to the electrical grid near Ford Avenue," said Effingham City Administrator Steven Miller. "The City continues to grow, and Ameren Illinois is a valued partner in its success by providing reliable and efficient energy infrastructure to our residents and businesses."
Ameren Illinois is adding a second transformer inside its existing substation near Ford Avenue. The new transformer will support additional electric load growth, improve the resiliency of the grid, and enable power to be rerouted among the other substations in town in the event of an outage. The project is scheduled to be completed in by mid-May. Ameren Illinois' investment in this project is $2.7 million.
"Having consistently reliable and affordable energy are key factors in the site location process," said Richard Mark, Chairman and President, Ameren Illinois. "This project will add redundancy to the grid while strengthening the electric infrastructure along a major development corridor in Effingham. We're glad to do our part to encourage more investment and spur additional business growth in the region."
"The upgrades are part of our overall statewide plan to build a cleaner, greener, more resilient grid," said Dave Walters, Director of East Region Electric Operations, Ameren Illinois. "With these enhancements, Ameren Illinois is taking proactive steps to prepare for the future needs of our electric customers. We're excited to bring these enhancements to our customers in Effingham."
The enhancements are part of Ameren Illinois' multi-year initiative to modernize its energy delivery system. Since 2012, the company has implemented hundreds of projects, added new technology and strengthened poles, wires and distribution equipment. As a result, reliability has improved by an average of 22 percent and the time of an outage has been reduced by 16 percent.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Ameren Illinois and its contractors are continuing work on electric and natural gas infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers or members of the general public are requested to maintain a safe six-foot distance from crew members as they perform their work.
About Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and 816,000 natural gas customers throughout central and southern Illinois. Our service territory covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. Our mission is to power the quality of life. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com. Follow us on Twitter @AmerenIllinois and Facebook.
Media contact:
Brian Bretsch
618.407.6894
bbretsch@ameren.com