Thousands of linemen working round the clock to bring power back to storm-shocked St. Louis
Ameren says that 2,000 linemen from Missouri and surrounding states now working in storm zone
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - While many of us were waking up to a new reality on Saturday morning, electrical linemen were already on the job -- working 17 hour shifts with only seven hours rest -- to try and meet the repair needs for the hardest hit areas of St. Louis.
One of the major challenges is repairing the hundreds of poles, power junctions, lines and other infrastructure that was damaged or pulled down by the storm on Friday. Ameren officials tell First Alert 4 that on a clear weather day with no debris, replacing a power pole may only take four hours. But, with the damage from the storm it’s tough to say how long each power pole replacement may take.
You can check the current outage map by visiting the Ameren Outage Center at this link.
Ameren says there are many safety steps that have to be taken to repair electric lines, power poles or other infrastructure after a severe storm. First, the crews have to clear away branches, debris, bricks or anything else blocking access to the pole and the ground. Then they have to be sure no part of the electric system hooked to the pole is active, and then they must unhook and replace any damaged parts on the old electric pole.
The process takes time.
Avery Martinezcovers water, ag & the environment for First Alert 4. He is also aReport for America Corps member, as well as a member of theMississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. His coverage ranges from EPA s to corn farms and hunting concerns, and local water rates to rancher mental health.
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