6 p.m.
Southwestern Electric Cooperative’s operations and engineering personnel are working with Ameren crews to restore power to about 1,500 co-op members this evening. Shortly before 5:30 p.m., an electrically active thunderstorm with strong winds pushed across Southern Illinois, dropping a tree through an Ameren transmission line serving two Southwestern Electric substations.
The outage is affecting members from Vandalia east to St. Elmo, and from Herrick south to the Fayette-Marion County line.
Crews are currently making repairs. No estimated time of restoration was available.