7 a.m.
Strong storms that moved across Southern Illinois this morning have left 1,200 Southwestern Electric members without power. At 7 a.m., 715 members in Madison County and 265 Fayette County members were without service. The remaining outages were divided between Bond and Macoupin counties.
Linemen were dispatched shortly after 5:30 a.m. when the first outages were reported. Crews are in the field surveying system damage and making repairs in areas affected by the storm.
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.