Linemen from Missouri’s electric cooperatives will be heading to the state of Louisiana to help in the recovery effort after Hurricane Laura.
The men are expected to stay in a tent city for at least ten days as some of the hardest hit parts of southwestern Louisiana remain with no power.
If the repairs take longer, a rotation will be set up to bring in fresh crews to help finish the work.
Linemen from Ameren are also joining in the restoration in the state of Arkansas.
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About Ameren:
Ameren Illinois and Ameren Missouri sending crews to Arkansas for Tropical Storm Laura restoration
180 personnel departing Saturday morning to assist Entergy Arkansas
ST. LOUIS (AUG. 29, 2020) – Ameren workers across Illinois and Missouri are heading to Arkansas today to assist in repairing damage and restoring power in Little Rock, Arkansas and the surrounding communities in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Laura.
The company’s personnel and contractors, including linemen, fleet, logistics and safety will assist crews from Entergy Arkansas. There are approximately 50,000 Arkansas residents without power across the state. Ameren personnel deployed this morning at 5 a.m. from Operating Centers in Illinois and Missouri. Earlier this month, Ameren provided assistance to sister utilities in New Jersey and Connecticut restoring power to communities in need after Hurricane Isaias pounded the East Coast.
Ameren Illinois and Ameren Missouri are voluntary members of the electric power industry’s mutual assistance network through the Edison Electric Institute. 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. Following some large storms here Ameren has called upon other utilities for assistance and has a history of helping other utilities, providing support with catastrophic events such as Hurricane Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017, Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Just as they do in Illinois and Missouri, Ameren response personnel and crews are taking extra precautions to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19. Preventive actions, such as social distancing and use of masks, and protective eyewear and gloves, are being used. Safety is one of Ameren’s core values.