Summary
Clarification: In an earlier update, it was stated that a train derailment struck several Ameren sub-transmission poles outside of Monmouth. It has since been confirmed that Ameren's infrastructure was not impacted by the train derailment although Ameren did have storm related infrastructure damage in the area at about the same time.
Severe weather, including high winds, hail, and tornado activity, continues to impact the North, West and South regions of the Ameren Illinois service territory. At the time of this report, the East region was beginning to be impacted by weather.
Crews and contractors made strong restoration progress following a morning storm that moved from the northwest to the northeast. The hardest-hit area remains Galesburg, where wind gusts were estimated at 80 mph.
High winds began impacting the West and South regions later in the day, and additional severe weather is expected this evening. Crews and support personnel remain actively engaged in restoration efforts.
Ameren Illinois activated its Incident Management Team (IMT) at 10:30 a.m. to coordinate resources and support restoration operations. The IMT remains fully activated.
Additional crews and support personnel are being requested as teams continue to monitor evolving weather conditions.
Current Situation
- Approximately 32,000 customers are without power at the time of this report. The hardest-hit areas are in Warren and Henderson counties. The hardest-hit areas in the South include Belleville, East St. Louis and Mt. Vernon.
- More than 110 distribution and sub-transmission poles are down.
- Replacing a broken power pole is one of the most complex steps in the restoration process and can take several hours depending on damage and site conditions.
- For the latest outage information, view the Ameren Outage Map.
Restoration Resources
- Crews and support personnel are prepared to work into the evening and overnight to restore service.
Estimated Safe Restoration Times (ESRTs)
- Crews are currently assessing damage.
- After storms pass and damage assessments are completed, ESRTs will be established and shared with customers.
Communication
We understand there is never a good time to lose power and appreciate our customers’ patience as crews work to safely restore service as quickly as possible.
- Real-time outage updates and safety information are available via the Ameren outage map and mobile app.
- Customers and media can also follow updates on Ameren Illinois social channels:
- X: @AmerenIllinois
- Facebook: Ameren Illinois
We encourage customers to check on elderly neighbors or others who may need assistance during outages.
How Ameren Illinois Restores Power
- Priority one is responding to life-threatening emergencies, including downed wires, and restoring power to critical infrastructure such as hospitals, police and fire facilities.
- After critical services are restored, crews focus on repairs that restore the greatest number of customers as quickly as possible.
- Work progresses from main lines serving large numbers of customers to smaller lines and individual service connections.
- This process means some customers in the same area may have power restored at different times.
Safety
Safety remains our top priority during any storm event.
- Stay away from downed power lines and assume they are energized.
- Report downed lines using the Ameren mobile app or by calling 800-755-5000.
- Never drive over downed power lines.
- If your power is out, check breakers or fuses before reporting an outage.
- Avoid flooded areas due to potential electrical hazards.
- Follow all portable generator safety guidelines.
