110p

About 500 Southwestern Electric members in Bond and Fayette counties are without power this afternoon. Southwestern Electric crews have sourced the outage to downed power lines and are on site making repairs. The outage is affecting members from the Bond-Montgomery County line south to Hunter School Avenue, between Mulberry Grove and Vandalia.

Strong winds may bring down branches and trees, and snap powerlines and utility poles. Please be alert for sagging or fallen lines and treat every powerline as if it’s energized.

Members who see downed or sagging power lines should stay clear of the area and contact Southwestern Electric Cooperative at (800) 637-8667. In addition, people clearing debris should look for sagging or fallen wires before they begin working.