Ameren Missouri continues to monitor weather patterns and adjust crews and resources accordingly to get ahead of the storm.
Ameren Missouri and Saint Louis University (SLU) have partnered on a unique weather forecasting system called Quantum Weather. This technology provides neighborhood-by-neighborhood predictions of severe weather hours in advance. This knowledge allows Ameren Missouri to dispatch crews ahead of the storm and further improve restoration times for customers.
Currently, Ameren Missouri crews and resources are staging in the Cape Girardeau area, where forecasters predict the storm will hit the hardest. The company is also moving storm trailers in place to provide materials that may be needed to quickly return power to customers. Metro St. Louis area crews remain in place as a precaution in case the storm shifts north.
Wednesday night, Ameren Missouri opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to begin coordinating storm preparations and ensure crews are able to quickly and safely restore power to customers in the wake of any storm damage.
“With safety in mind, we are putting crews in place ahead of the storm in case roads become treacherous and it becomes unsafe for crews to travel,” said Michael Moehn, senior vice president, Ameren Missouri Customer Operations. “We know the critical role electricity plays in our customers’ lives and want to be prepared to respond if necessary.”
The most important safety rule is to stay clear of downed power lines and always call Ameren Missouri at 1.800.552.7583 or 911 if you see downed lines. Assume all downed power lines are energized. Stay inside because you may walk into an energized power line. Stay clear of brush, shrubs and downed trees that may hide downed lines.
While every effort is made to restore power as quickly as possible, customers with special needs—including those with medical conditions, seniors, handicapped and others who are dependent on electric service—may wish to consider making alternative arrangements if outages in their areas persist.
Customers can report an outage at Ameren.mobi using a smartphone, go online to AmerenMissouri.com/Outage or call 1.800.552.7583.
Additional storm safety information is available at the Ameren Missouri Outage Center at AmerenMissouri.com/Outage.
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Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than a century, and our electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. We serve 1.2 million electric and 127,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. Our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Our service area covers 63 counties and more than 500 towns, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit AmerenMissouri.com.
CONTACT: Missouri Communications, 314.554.2182, missouricommunications@ameren.com