CURRENT SITUATION
A line of highly destructive and severe thunderstorms cut through Missouri on Saturday afternoon, causing significant and widespread outages throughout the state. We’ve received reports of wind gusts of 55 to 60 miles per hour, with additional weather forecast for tonight. Damage is widespread and includes downed poles and wires.
· All parts of the Ameren Missouri service territory were affected by today's weather, with the St. Louis metropolitan area getting hit the hardest.
· As of 6:30 p.m., approximately 85,000 customers were without power, down from 94,000 customers earlier in the evening. · See the Ameren outage map for the latest: www.ameren.com/outagemap
· We have all available crews working to help customers. We appreciate our customers’ patience as our crews work to safely restore power as quickly as possible.
· When prioritizing restoration work, Ameren Missouri works to restore power to equipment that serves the greatest number of customers and to critical facilities.
SAFETY
· Safety is the first and foremost concern during any weather event. Stay clear of any downed power lines or poles.
· Always assume a downed wire is live. Be careful around pools of water. Stay clear of brush, shrubs and downed trees that may hide downed power lines.
· Customers should report any downed power lines to Ameren Missouri customer line: 800.552.7583.
· If your power is out, check your circuit breakers or fuses – your service outage might be the result of a household problem. Avoid any risk of electrical shock and do not enter any flooded areas.
· Create a plan for seeking shelter in the event of severe weather and discuss the plan with all members of the household.
· Keep phones and electronics charged when storms are in the forecast. · Prepare a storm kit with emergency telephone numbers, flashlights and a radio with fresh batteries, along with bottled water and non-perishable foods that don't require heating. Also include medication and special items for infants, the elderly or family members with special needs.
WHAT CUSTOMERS CAN DO
· To ensure we can provide you with the latest outage update, we must have your correct phone number or email address. Please create or log in to your Ameren account online to ensure your contact information is correct.
· Customers can check on the status of their restoration at Ameren.com or download the free Ameren app for updates as they become available. Sign up for alerts. Text REG to AMEREN (263736) to start or visit Ameren.com/Alerts.
· When reporting an outage, please use the phone number associated with the account. Entering a number that is not associated with the account will create an error message.
· Customers can follow Ameren Missouri on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest information on what's happening with restoration efforts.
· Be aware of scammers asking for payment to restore your utility service. If something feels off, hang up or close the door and call us. If you have questions about your account balance, please call Ameren directly. We are here to help.