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CHAMPAIGN, Ill (WCIA) — The most recent snowstorm knocked out power for people across Illinois and some cities ended up with 20,000 homes in the dark. If you’re still waiting for it to be fixed… it may be a problem that you have to deal with.
There’s a couple of different things to look at like your weather head and meter base. One Ameren employee said ice is his worst enemy — and it can cause a chain reaction.
For example, when ice builds up on power lines, the added weight can cause a domino effect and take down multiple poles. But it doesn’t stop there — wires are connected to the base of your personal meter. These falling can pull it over — leaving you without vital equipment.
“You know, if we’re talking residential homes, we do own the meter. But all of that equipment, the meter base, the ground wire and the conduit that goes down to the ground rod down, and then going up that conduit, which can be PVC or steel, and then the weather head, that’s all customer owned,” Distribution Design Supervisor Matthew Anderson said.
Which means you’re on the hook to replace it. Anderson says you should call an experienced electrician to take care of the issue.
He says once that’s taken care off — then the electrician can call Ameren. Then the company can hook your home back up to receive power again.