Alabama Power crews, fresh off supporting East Coast restoration efforts from Tropical Storm Isaias, are now moving west to help get the lights on in Illinois.

More than 200 Alabama Power personnel spent the weekend and early part of this week in New Jersey assisting utility FirstEnergy and its subsidiary, Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) after Isaias pummeled the Garden State. More than 1 million New Jersey residents were affected by the tropical storm.

While Alabama Power crews were wrapping up restoration work in New Jersey on Monday, a violent derecho – a swift-moving thunderstorm system – was tearing through the Midwest with wind gusts topping 100 mph. The derecho got its start in South Dakota and Nebraska, and rolled through portions of Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area. The storm and accompanying winds damaged homes and sent debris flying. It also spawned tornadoes, including one in the Windy City that became a waterspout in Lake Michigan.

A police officer stands guard on Chicago’s westside moments before a derecho storm hits the area on Monday. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Alabama Power crews are expected to arrive in Illinois sometime on Wednesday to assist Commonwealth Edison (ComEd). As of this morning, more than 400,000 ComEd customers remained without power in metro Chicago and northern Illinois.

“We were in the right place to be able to move quickly from New Jersey to help the folks in Illinois,” said Brian Lindsay, a manager in Power Delivery who is part of the Alabama Power team heading west. “Our crews are eager to support ComEd and their customers.”

Alabama Power and other investor-owned utilities work to support each other in times of severe weather through mutual assistance agreements.

JCP&L on Tuesday praised Alabama Power and other utilities for helping its New Jersey customers.

“We would like to extend a special thank you to our mutual assistance partners and the more than 8,000 utility personnel from 17 states, as well as police, fire and emergency management officials, for their efforts and commitment to safety during the massive effort to restore power to our customers following Tropical Storm Isaias,” the company said in a statement.

It was the second time in eight years that Alabama Power assisted JCP&L following a major storm. The last time, in 2012, was in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which devastated portions of the mid-Atlantic, including sections of New York City.

Alabama Power customers should always stay aware of weather conditions and be prepared for the potential of severe storms. Learn more about how to prepare by visiting www.alabamapower.com. Click on “Our Company” and then “Outages & Storm Center.”