9:25 p.m.
The strong storms that swept across Southern Illinois earlier this evening damaged equipment and brought down limbs and power lines at 29 locations spread across 90 miles of Southwestern Electric’s service area, between Pontoon Beach and Beecher City. At present, about 315 members are without power.
Crews are currently making repairs throughout Southwestern’s service area. Since the outages are isolated and spread across a wide area, progress has been steady but slow.
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.