COLLINSVILLE/EAST ST. LOUIS – Ameren Illinois is taking another step forward in its modernization of the electric grid in East St. Louis with the installation of new smart switches and stronger electric infrastructure.
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Work is currently underway to relocate power poles and power lines from an easement out to a nearby road for improved access and maintenance in the Lansdowne neighborhood. In addition, the new power lines will add capacity to the local grid. The added capacity is similar to expanding a two-lane highway to a four-lane highway.
Smart switches, known as IntelliRupters, are also being added. These devices work in tandem with other outage detection devices to isolate outages and reduce the length of service disruptions while reducing the number of customers who experience an outage.
“The IntelliRupters we are installing in East St. Louis allow us to reroute power when there is a problem and minimize how many customers are affected by the power outage. It is virtually instantaneous,” said Ty Lindhorst, director of Electric Operations for Ameren Illinois serving St. Clair County. “This upgrade is part of our overall statewide plan to build a more flexible, reliable and resilient grid capable of supporting the delivery of cleaner, greener energy from sources like wind and solar.”
About Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and more than 800,000 natural gas customers throughout central and southern Illinois. Our service territory covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles and our mission is to power the quality of life. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com. Follow us at @AmerenIllinois or Facebook.com/AmerenIllinois.
