An animal caused a power outage in the Charleston area around 9 p.m. Tuesday, affecting more than 1,300 customers.

Natalie Hemmer, Ameren Illinois Utility spokesperson, said the unidentified animal got into a substation’s transformer in the area, causing it to blow two circuits.

Hemmer said a crew had been repairing the problem by switching, or rerouting the power, so customers could get service back quickly.

She said full power should have been back around 10 p.m. and repairs still had to be made to the substation after power was returned.

Hemmer was unsure exactly what parts of Charleston or Eastern were affected.

According to Ameren’s Web site, there were still 1,288 customers without service at press time Tuesday.