SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) says local and state officials are working together to get help for southern Illinoisans suffering the effects of the weekend’s severe winter storm.
“This winter storm has caused problems across southern Illinois, and we are working closely with State Emergency Agencies and the Governor’s Office to get the information and the resources needed to help our residents,” Fowler said.
An update issued by Senator Fowler on Monday afternoon (Jan. 6) reported that first responders are out in the 59th Senate District, another 150 trucks have arrived from neighboring states to work to restore power, and he is working with the Governor’s office and local officials on securing a state disaster declaration.
Senator Fowler says after a natural or man-made “disaster” event, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) directs all parties to work through their local County Emergency Management Office. Paperwork, questions, and other requirements all start in these offices and flow up to IEMA. Individuals with home or property damage should start with private insurance coverage.
A state disaster proclamation is issued by the Governor pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. A state disaster proclamation may cover one or more counties, or the entire state. The proclamation is in effect for up to 30 days, and the Governor may issue additional proclamations for as long as the disaster conditions persist.
A state disaster proclamation authorizes the Governor to exercise certain emergency powers to respond to the disaster. A state disaster proclamation also authorizes the use of funds in the Disaster Response and Recovery Fund to pay for certain state-incurred disaster-related expenses.
Damage assessments are started at the outset of an event at the local level by local officials. While there are no metrics or thresholds written in state law or rule, state assistance is based on requests from local governments to IEMA. IEMA administers several funds where federal money passes through for assistance awards. A pamphlet is available at IEMA for further resource information on the disaster process.
According to available information provided to Senator Fowler on Jan. 7, approximately 68,500 customers have experienced an outage since the start of the weather event. The peak number of outages – 30,204 customers – occurred at approximately 4:10 a.m. on January 6, 2025. Crews have restored power to over 58,000 customers throughout the event. Outage counts climbed overnight Sunday as icy conditions made their way into the Southern part of the Ameren Illinois service territory. Ameren expects to see new outages as the weight of the snow and ice continues to impact the electric distribution system.
Most outages are concentrated in Jackson, Williamson, Saline, and Gallatin counties. Roughly 1,100 resources (Ameren and Contractors) are working on restoration in the region, including line workers, tree trimmers, damage assessors and safety/support personnel.
As of noon on Jan. 7:
- Outages stand at fewer than 10,000. Outage counts change often during ice storms. For the latest, consult the www.ameren.com/outagemap.
- The Southern region experienced significant tree damage, with numerous poles/wires down in the storm. Currently in the Southern region, 18 distribution poles remain down, and five substations remain offline.
- Information about available warming centers is available at https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/dff7a457041b48f6add366ce4dc418b4.
- External contractors were on standby in advance of the storm. Crews from five states – Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and Tennessee are helping, as well as resources from other utilities and private companies.
- Based on current weather conditions, it is estimated that 80 percent of utility customers will have power restored by 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
- Impacted utility customers will be informed of the estimated restoration window. Those who are signed up for alerts will receive alert updates through their preferred channels. All others will receive a phone call.