With severe weather forecasted for the Ameren service territory, preparing in advance can keep their family safe, while also conserving energy.
Ameren teams are actively engaged in planning and monitoring the weather impacts and the company does not expect to experience significant electric or gas reliability issues due to extreme cold conditions.
Ameren invests in the energy grid
“Ameren has made significant investments in our energy grid to stand up to the impacts of severe weather. Our crews are on alert, equipment and supplies have been deployed to key regions, and we are prepared to respond if outages occur," said Patrick Smith, Senior Vice President of Operations & Technical Services, Ameren Illinois.
He adds, "We encourage our customers to be prepared to stay safe during this cold spell and check on the well-being of their friends, family, and the elderly."
Tips to stay safe in winter
Tips to stay safe and conserve energy during winter weather:
- Prepare a home emergency kit with supplies like flashlights, batteries, nonperishable foods, water, medicines, blankets, warm clothes, etc.
- Charge cell phones and external batteries in advance to ensure communication if they lose power for an extended period of time.
- Insulate any water lines that run along exterior walls so the water supply will be less likely to freeze.
- Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows to keep heat inside and consider covering drafty windows with plastic from the inside.
- If they choose to use a generator during an outage never use it indoors. Place a portable generator outdoors in a dry area far away from doors, windows, and vents.
- Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
- If an extended outage does occur during extremely cold temperatures, they may want to consider relocating to a local warming shelter in Illinois or Missouri.
- Always notify Ameren at 800.552.7583 in Missouri, or at 800.755.5000 in Illinois, if damage to power lines or electrical equipment occurs near the home or they are experiencing an outage. Customers are also encouraged to visit Ameren's outage map or sign up for text alerts for restoration updates.
- Disconnect unnecessary appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.
- If road conditions cause the vehicle to hit a utility pole, stay in the vehicle. Do not open the doors or step outside. If they have a cell phone, call 911 or yell for others to get help, but tell them not to approach their or the vehicle. Wait for emergency and utility crews to arrive on the scene.
Safety of Crews and customers
“We care about the safety of our customers, especially during times of extreme cold temperatures, which is why it's important for families to be prepared," said Ryan Arnold, Vice President of Energy Delivery, Ameren Missouri.
He adds, “Aside from our crews and customers being prepared for the weather, we also understand that energy assistance to pay bills and energy efficiency is important, which is why we offer a number of resources on our website for customers to manage their winter energy bills – everything from rate plan options to payment assistance to efficiency tips and more.”
