GODFREY - A lightning arrester at a substation in Godfrey in the 2900 block of West Delmar appeared struck and malfunctioned on Monday, leaving 2,200 Ameren Illinois customers without power for various periods of time.
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Ameren Illinois crews determined the lightning arrester malfunctioned at 7 p.m. Monday. Brian Bretsch, a communications executive/spokesperson for the company, said, "A lightning arrester is a device used on electric power systems and telecommunication systems to protect insulation and conductors of the system from the damaging effects of lightning. The typical lightning arrester has a high-voltage terminal and a ground terminal."
Bretsch said there were scattered storms with lightning and a slight downpour in the area and that likely is when the problem occurred.
“We sent crews out right away,” he said when Ameren Illinois learned of the power outage in Godfrey. “The crew was able to re-route 935 customers to a different substation and restore service by 9:30 p.m. Monday. They continued to work in the dark and at 12:15 a.m. Tuesday, 578 customers had their power restored, leaving 650 without power. The crews continue to work through the early morning and everyone was restored by 9 a.m. Tuesday."
There were also downed power lines and tree limbs from a storm in the 2200 block of Bostwick Street in Alton. Photos from the Bostwick Street damage are included top and bottom.
