CARBONDALE, Ill. and MARION, Ill., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ameren Illinois Utilities today expect to wrap up storm restoration efforts for the majority of customers still without power due to Monday night's ice storm in Southern Illinois.
More than 800 workers remain dedicated to restoring service to approximately 1,400 AmerenCIPS and AmerenIP customers still without power this morning. Forecasts calling for strong winds and melting ice falling on to power lines may be a factor in today's restoration efforts, causing some outages to extend into Friday.
Customers who are still without electrical service are asked to call their Ameren Illinois utility as soon as possible. AmerenCIPS customers should call 1-888-789-2477; AmerenIP customers should call 1-800-755-5000.
In addition, some customers may need the services of an electrical contractor to reattach or repair customer-owned facilities, such as the meter base, weatherhead or point of attachment. Click here: http://www.ameren.com/Outage/ADC_au_ElectricalServiceComponents.asp for a diagram showing this arrangement.
The Ameren Illinois Utilities also warn residents to stay away from downed power lines, which may still be energized. Residents should stay away from brush and fallen trees which may hide downed wires. Until the ice melts off power lines and trees there will be a continued chance of additional damage to power lines. Residents who see a downed power line should call their Ameren Illinois Utility.
AmerenCIPS' and AmerenIP's territory in southern Illinois began experiencing outages at approximately 8:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11, due to icing conditions. Thick ice, falling tree limbs and windy conditions caused outage numbers to fluctuate throughout the day, reaching a peak of 18,400 customers without power late Tuesday afternoon. However, this number was cut to about 7,900 by Wednesday morning.
Nearly 480 Ameren Illinois Utility workers and outside contractor personnel from across the state, as well as more than 320 tree trimmers, management and field checking workers, assigned to the restoration effort.
"We want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this service restoration process," said John Barud, manager of Ameren Illinois Division VI. "I know our customers will be relieved to learn that we will complete the majority of our restoration work today."
"We also appreciate all of the help we have received from state and local emergency and government officials and their staffs, as well as the long hours and hard work of our personnel and those of the private electrical contractors."
The Ameren Illinois Utilities serve 1.2 million electric and more than 840,000 natural gas customers in a 43,700-square-mile area of Illinois.
SOURCE: Ameren Illinois Utilities
CONTACT: Erica Abbett of Ameren Illinois Utilities, +1-618-236-4329
Web site: http://www.ameren.com/