St. Louis-based electric utility AmerenUE has taken plenty of public whippings for storm-related power outages in recent years. So it is noteworthy that the Public Service Commission staff had only good things to say about the utility’s response to the late-January ice storm in southeast Missouri that knocked out power to 35,000 customers.

The Jan. 26 storm deposited more than two inches of ice across parts of southeast Missouri, breaking more than 3,800 AmerenUE distribution and transmission poles. The utility had more than 4,000 linemen, tree trimmers and other employees and contractors working during peak restoration efforts, which took several days.

On Monday afternoon, the PSC staff, a group of auditors, engineers and lawyers who advise state utility regulators, submitted the findings of their investigation in a report ordered by the commission. Here is part of what they had to say:

AmerenUE applied the lessons it learned from previous storm restoration efforts in response tor this ice storm and brought its customers up faster than the rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities.

Not only did AmerenUE get service restored faster to its customers, the utility also helped other utilities, the report said.