Updated at 7:50 am Sunday with information about Red Cross volunteers.
Ameren says it is sending more than 100 employees Saturday to New England to help with any problems caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Sandy is expected to be a monstrous storm that poses a serious threat for the entire Eastern Seaboard. Forecasters say Sandy is a massive cyclone, with hurricane-force winds recorded as far as 100 miles away from the eye of the storm.
PSE&G, a utility in New Jersey, requested the help. Ameren Missouri is sending more than 50 overhead linemen, safety, supervisory, fleet and logistics personnel. Ameren Illinois is sending 50 linemen and support staff as well as releasing nearly 100 electric and forestry contractors.
"Managing storm restoration is a core competency in our Illinois operations," said Richard Mark, the president and CEO of Ameren Illinois.
"Our crews are prepared and ready to offer assistance to our colleagues in New Jersey," said Michael Moehn, the senior vice-president of Customer Operations for Ameren Missouri.
The Ameren workers and contractors have been asked to be prepared to stay for up to two weeks.
The St. Louis region of the American Red Cross is sending a dozen volunteers and four emergency response vehicles to the East Coast. The volunteers will be stationed in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, working in areas like mental health and sheltering evacuees.