Ameren workers across Illinois and Missouri are heading to the East Coast to assist in repairing damage and restoring power outages in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Approximately 125 Ameren personnel and 210 contractor personnel, including line workers, fleet, logistics and safety, will assist crews from AEP Appalachian Power in Charleston, West Virginia.
The Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI) National Response executive committee declared a Level 1 National Response Event requesting any available resources in support of Hurricane Helene. Ameren is a member of EEI and a member of the Midwest Mutual Assistance Group.
“Mutual aid literally places thousands of boots on the ground to help the East Coast power companies with their restoration efforts. We were prepped and ready to answer the call for people affected by Hurricane Helene,” said Lenny Singh, chairman and president, Ameren Illinois. “My thoughts and prayers are with those in the aftermath of the hurricane and for all personnel traveling to respond to this event.”
“Ameren customers in both Missouri and Illinois have benefited many times from mutual aid from sister utilities following storms here in the Midwest,” said Mark Birk, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri. “We are glad that the expertise, skill and dedication of our co-workers and contractors will be there for others on the East Coast during the restoration effort.”
Ameren Illinois and Ameren Missouri are voluntary members of the electric power industry’s mutual assistance network through EEI. When called upon, a company will send either company employees, contractors or both, along with specialized equipment to help with the restoration efforts of a fellow company. In essence, it allows a utility hit by a major or catastrophic storm to expand its workforce by borrowing field personnel from other companies in unaffected areas. In 2023, Ameren and its customers were recipients of mutual aid when a derecho hit central Illinois in late June, followed by two additional storms in Missouri and Illinois.
***Courtesy of Ameren Illinois***
