Preparing for spring storm season
Through its Smart Energy Plan, Ameren Missouri is prepared for the 2023 spring storm season
As the Midwest transitions from winter into spring, it's a time of rebirth and renewal. Along with sunshine and warmer temperatures, spring also brings with it the potential of dangerous weather. According to the Weather Channel, the U.S. averaged 1,240 tornados annually from 2002 – 2021. More than half of those tornadoes took place in the months of April, May and June.
To help prepare for this year's spring storm season, Ameren Missouri, through its Smart Energy Plan, has made critical electric system infrastructure investments throughout the company's service territory. These upgrades include installing smart technology, stronger poles and power lines and new smart meters. As a result of these investments, 50,000 customer outages were prevented over the last two years. In 2022, these upgrades helped prevent 6.5 million minutes of customer outages.
"Thanks to the Smart Energy Plan, our customers can see up to a 40% improvement in reliability when we install smart technology and other grid upgrades in their area," said Ryan Arnold, vice president of Division Operations for Ameren Missouri.
Please click on the above video to learn more about the steps Ameren Missouri is taking to create a more reliable and resilient energy grid.
In addition to installing smart technology, Ameren Missouri has been utilizing new composite poles throughout its service territory. When installed next to wooden poles, they help prevent large outages during windy weather. Ameren is also increasing power capacity throughout its network, giving the company the ability to reroute power during outages to allow crews to safely make repairs.
When severe weather does occur, Ameren Missouri reminds customers to take the following actions to stay safe:
Stay away from downed power lines and assume they are energized. Also, stay clear of brush and trees that may hide downed lines. Report downed lines and outages by calling Ameren Missouri at 1-800-552-7583 or 9-1-1.
Create a plan for seeking shelter in the event of severe weather and discuss the plan with all members of the household.
Keep phones and electronics charged when storms are in the forecast.
Prepare a storm kit with emergency telephone numbers, flashlights and a radio with fresh batteries, along with bottled water and non-perishable foods that don't require heating. Also include medication and special items for infants, the elderly or family members with special needs.
Turn refrigerators to the coldest setting and leave the refrigerator doors closed.
If an outage does occur, Ameren Missouri customers are encouraged to report the outage on ameren.com and check the outage map at ameren.com/outage for power restoration updates.