Ameren Illinois Utilities Report Progress in Restoring Power, More Than 1,300 Working...

Ameren Illinois Utilities Report Progress in Restoring Power, More Than 1,300
Working to Turn Lights on in Southern Illinois

Service Back for about 12,600 Customers

MARION, Ill., May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ameren Illinois Utilities have made
progress by restoring power to about 12,600 customers in the wake of what has
been described as an "inland hurricane" that devastated portions of Southern
Illinois on Friday.

A force of more than 1,300 field and support personnel have been able to
reduce the number of customer outages to about 56,200 at 5:00 p.m. today, down
from a total of about 68,800 customer outages on Friday.

The Ameren Illinois Utilities anticipate electrical service will be restored
to nearly all customers by late Tuesday night. However, it is expected that
isolated outages may persist into latter part of the week as customers make
repairs to their facilities, such as the meter base, weatherhead or point of
attachment.

The unusually violent spring storm caused extensive property damage in
Southern Illinois. High winds knocked down hundreds of Ameren Illinois
Utilities (AIU) utility poles, downed electric lines, slammed trees into
transmission lines and damaged electrical equipment in Franklin, Gallatin,
Jackson, Johnson, Perry, Saline, Union and Williamson counties.

"Safety continues to be our major concern," said Ron Pate, AIU vice president
of Regional Operations. "There are downed power lines throughout the area. It
is imperative that people stay away from downed lines and to always call us or
'911' if you see downed lines. It is especially dangerous to go outdoors when
it is dark because you will not be able to see a downed power line that may
still be energized and dangerous. Avoid brush, shrubs and fallen trees that
may hide downed lines."

To report downed power lines or other problems, customers should call the
Ameren Illinois Utilities: 1-888-672-5252 (AmerenCILCO), 1-888-789-2477
(AmerenCIPS) and 1-800-755-7000 (AmerenIP). Customers who do not have access
to telephones may visit the temporary AIU Customer Service Center at the
southwest entrance to Marion Mall close to the Sears. It will be open through
Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.

According to the American Red Cross, storm shelters have been established at
the Senior Center, 507 W. Main St., Marion; Herrin High School, 700 N. Tenth
St., Herrin; Community Building, 406 S. Poplar St., Bush; Christopher Civic
Center, 208 N. Thomas St., Christopher, and Our Saviors Lutheran, 700 S.
University, Carbondale. For additional information, contact the Red Cross
office at 665 N. Airport Rd., Murphysboro, at 1-618-988-1147.

The massive electric service operation is being directed by the Ameren
Illinois Utilities Emergency Operations Center. Current information on the
electrical service restoration effort as well as safety advice and weather
reports are available at IllinoisOutage.com.

In addition to field and support personnel, the Ameren Illinois Utilities have
deployed four Storm Trailers to the impacted area. The trailers are located at
Murphysboro, Sparta and two in Marion. The Storm Trailers are mobile
storerooms, stocked with the material field crews need to get the lights back
on. The trailers can be moved to central staging sites to provide essential
materials in the areas with the greatest damage.

Residents who must repair customer-owned facilities, such as the meter base,
weatherhead or point of attachment, should have this work performed by a
professional electrical contractor. These repairs must be completed before
service can be safely restored.

Customers planning to use a portable generator must first open the main
breaker or remove the main fuses before connecting the generator to the
electrical systems. Failure to do this could seriously injure utility crews
working on outside power lines, and/or it could cause damage to a neighbor's
property or the customer's own equipment. Customers should never use a
portable generator indoors, including in a home, garage, basement, shed or
partially-enclosed area - even with ventilation because of the threat of
deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Ameren Illinois Utilities (AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO, AmerenIP) have been
providing safe, reliable energy delivery service for more than a century. The
Ameren Illinois Utilities deliver energy to 1.2 million electric and 840,000
natural gas customers in more than 1,200 communities within a
43,700-square-mile service territory.

SAFETY ADVICE:

Ameren offers these tips for your safety and for coping with power outages:

Check on the elderly. If you know an elderly person in your neighborhood that
is without power, check on that person's health.

Watch out for downed wires. If you see a fallen or sagging wire, assume that
it is still energized and dangerous. Electric power lines can carry power even
after being knocked to the ground. Stay away and warn others to do the same.

Pull some plugs. Turn off or disconnect the refrigerator, freezer, television,
air conditioner and other major appliances that would go on automatically when
the power is restored. This precaution will avoid overloading a circuit when
power comes back on - and the chance of a second interruption. After power is
restored, turn them on one at a time.

Flip a switch. Turn one or two light switches on so you will know when your
service is restored.

There are also some steps you can take during and after a storm to ensure the
safety of your family, home and pets.

Keep your food cold. Resist the urge to peek in on the refrigerator and
freezer. Food will stay cold or frozen longer if the appliance stays closed.

-- Use caution with your food. Check with your local health department
and
remember the rule, "When in doubt, throw it out!" The
University of Illinois Extension Service says these foods should be
discarded after four hours without power:

-- Raw or cooked meat, poultry and seafood
-- Milk, cream, yogurt and soft cheeses
-- Cooked pasta and pasta salads
-- Custard, chiffon and cheese pies
-- Fresh eggs and egg substitutes
-- Meat-topped pizza and lunch meats
-- Casseroles, soups and stews
-- Mayonnaise and tartar sauce
-- Cookie dough

These foods should be safe for a few days without power:

-- Butter and margarine
-- Fresh fruits and vegetables
-- Opened jars of salad dressing, jelly, relish, taco sauce,
barbecue sauce, mustard, ketchup and olives
-- Hard and processed cheeses

SOURCE Ameren Illinois Utilities

Ameren Illinois Utilities, +1-217-424-6400