MARION — Ameren Illinois is mobilizing approximately 800 personnel to restore power to customers affected by a winter storm that struck Southern Illinois over the weekend. As of Monday morning, Jan. 6, 2025, around 22,000 customers in Jackson, Williamson, Saline, and Gallatin Counties in Southern Illinois remain without electricity.
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Brian Bretsch, a communications representative for Ameren Illinois, addressed the ongoing restoration efforts during a press conference held at 11 a.m. Monday in Marion. He noted that while the Metro East and Riverbend areas largely avoided significant ice accumulation, other regions faced challenging conditions due to ice build-up, below-freezing temperatures, and high winds.
"Ameren Illinois crews are continuing their restoration efforts throughout the Southern Illinois region," Bretsch stated. He explained that ice storms pose unique challenges for utility crews, as the combination of severe weather can cause extensive damage to power lines and transformers.
Bretsch indicated that the company anticipates that 80 percent of customers will have their power restored by 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. He also emphasized the importance of communication, stating that Ameren will provide updates to affected customers through their preferred channels, including phone calls for those not signed up for alerts.
"We thank our customers for their patience during this time," Bretsch said. "We know this is challenging for everyone, but also know that our crews are working as quickly and safely as possible."
The storm's impact varied across the region, with some areas, such as Marissa, experiencing quicker restoration than others. Bretsch mentioned that Ameren's proactive tree trimming program has been beneficial in reducing storm-related outages in the Metro East Illinois-area. The weight of ice on trees still poses a risk with high winds, he said.
As power restoration efforts continued in Southern Illinois, Bretsch acknowledged the difficult working conditions faced by linemen and women.
"It is cold, and our crews are doing exceptional work under horrible conditions," he said.
With road conditions challenging due to the storm, Bretsch expressed gratitude for the Illinois Department of Transportation crews working to maintain access for restoration teams. He confirmed that additional resources are being deployed to assist in the recovery efforts.
The situation remains dynamic as Ameren Illinois works to restore power to those affected by the storm.
