Ameren invested $1.7m to add a second substation transformer and a new circuit feeder on Maple Summit across from West Elementary School in Jerseyville.
The upgrades are expected to reduce outages and provide flexibility to the utility to connect customers to an alternate power source, reported thetelegraph.com.
Ameren Illinois spokesman Brian Bretsch was quoted by the news website as saying, "The added transformer capacity will help our system handle additional load when power is re-routed, as well as the growing demand for electricity in the Jerseyville area."
The utility has also spent $200,000 to upgrade subtransmission in order to increase energy delivery performance in the southern Jersey County area of Grafton, Elsah and Newbern.
Ameren Illinois is investing almost $9.7m in 2013 to upgrade existing and build new substations, improve transmission lines, and upgrade other electric infrastructure projects.
The company also has plans to spend millions for other projects in Metro East.
