Multiple communities experienced power outages Thursday morning as a winter storm system moved through eastern Iowa. At about 11 a.m. 742 Alliant Energy customers in Keota were without power, as were 74 near Wellman, and 113 near West Chester. Near Rubio 170 were without power at about 6:30 a.m. Spokesman Mike Wagner with Alliant Energy tells KCII News that most of the outages can be attributed to the winter weather, “Yeah, a majority of these outages are weather-related. And that can be a number of things, we could have ice on the line with some wind that causes problems. You know, every once in a while you might have a piece of equipment that doesn’t really like the cold weather. And then, you know if you’ve been out driving around, often times when we have a weather-related outage, it’s often just somebody that didn’t, you know, doesn’t make that turn and grabs that pole and brings it down.”

He advises that if you ever see a power line down call it in to Alliant Energy and local emergency officials. Do not go near lines on the ground.