7:30 a.m.

About 1,350 Southwestern Electric members are without power this morning after a line of storms swept across the I-70 corridor, breaking branches and bringing down power lines.

At 7:30 a.m., 815 members in Madison County and 300 Fayette County members were without service. The remaining outages were located in Bond and Macoupin counties. Operations and engineering teams are unable to provide estimated times of restoration this morning, as new outages continue to be reported while existing damage is repaired.

Linemen were dispatched shortly after 5:30 a.m. when the first outages were reported. Crews are on site and making system repairs at several sites in Southwestern Electric’s service area. 

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 and treat every powerline as if it’s energized.