CMP has restored service to more 100,000 homes and businesses following Thursday's winter storm

 

 

Customers urged to sign up for Outage Alerts for up-to-date information about outages affecting their homes or businesses

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

AUGUSTA, Maine Dec. 30, 2016  Central Maine Power Company (CMP), a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), reports fewer than 30,000 customers remain without service as of 9 p.m. The winter storm that moved through the region Thursday night disrupted service to more than 138,000 homes and businesses. Outages from heavy snow and high winds peaked at more than 100,000 shortly before 8 a.m. Friday.

 

We began the day with a focus on public safety, damage assessment, and restoring primary lines, while integrating contractor resources from around the region safely and efficiently, said Doug Herling, vice president for Electric Operations. We've had a great response from our crews, particularly those who cut their holiday vacation short to work on storm recovery, so I'm especially pleased with the tremendous progress restoring more than 100,000 outages in a single day.

 

The storm damage was distributed widely across the company's service area with the heaviest damage in a broad band parallel to the coast, including large portions of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Sagadahoc, and Waldo counties. Difficult travel on secondary roads and deep snow banks have made the task of restoring service more difficult.

 

CMP expects to complete restoration in affected counties at the following times. Please note that many customers will have service back before the time listed.

 

Franklin, York: Late Friday evening.

Penobscot, Piscataquis: Midday Saturday.

Somerset, Knox, Waldo: Late Saturday evening.

Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Lincoln, Sagadahoc: Late Sunday

 

CMP has had a team of more than 1,200 field and support personnel engaged in the restoration on Friday. More crews from around the region, including crews from AVANGRID's United Illuminating in Connecticut, will join the effort tomorrow to brighten the New Year's Eve holiday for as many customers as possible.

 

A list of outages by county is on CMP's web site: m.cmpco.com. The company continues to update the web site with estimated restoration times as soon as more information is available.
 

A list of outages by county is on CMP's web site: m.cmpco.com. The company will update the web site with estimated restoration times as soon as more information is available.

 

CMP urges customers to report outages on its mobile-friendly web site at m.cmpco.com or by calling 1.800.696.1000. Customers can also sign up for CMP's free Outage Alerts service, which provides the latest information about power outages by text message, email, or voice message.

 

CMP offers customers the following tips to prepare for the storm and stay safe and comfortable during power outages:
 

During a power interruption:

• Power outages can be reported on line at CMP's mobile-friendly website ( https://m.cmpco.com/mt/ecmp.cmpco.com/WebOutage) or by calling 1.800.696.1000. Our systems automatically create a work order and set the stage for dispatch of crews to the outage location.
• Bookmark the Outage Central page at http://www.cmpco.com/Outages/default.html (mobile friendly at https://m.cmpco.com/mt/www.cmpco.com) and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for current outage and safety information.
  When using an emergency heating source, like a wood stove, fireplace, or kerosene heater, keep fuels away from the flames and be sure to ventilate properly.
• Never use grills or camp stoves indoors they can give off dangerous gases.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible. Most food will last 24 hours or longer if you minimize the opening of refrigerator and freezer doors.
• Turn off or unplug major appliances to avoid overloading circuits when power is restored.

For customers with generators:

• Hire a licensed electrician to install permanent generators and transfer switches.
  Properly ground all portable generators.
• Carefully read and observe all instructions in your generator's operating manual.
  Never run a generator indoors, or even in an open garage.
• If your carbon monoxide detector goes off  get out of the building immediately and call 911.
  Do not store fuel indoors or try to refuel a generator while it's running.
• Refer to CMP's web page on generator safety: http://www.cmpco.com/UsageAndSafety/electricalsafety/GeneratorSafety/default.html
  Visit http://www.cmpco.com/Outages/storm_safety.html for additional storm safety information.

After Power Is Restored

• Turn on appliances and sensitive electronic equipment one at a time to avoid overloading circuits.
• If a basement or home was flooded, have an electrician check the home before contacting CMP to have services turned on.
• Replenish any emergency supplies used during the storm.

 

The company urges customers to use caution if they see downed lines.

 

"Everyone should stay clear of any downed power lines or fallen trees that may be tangled in the lines, said CMP Spokesperson Gail Rice. All downed lines should be considered live and dangerous. Customers should leave the clean-up to our crews, who are trained and equipped to handle these situations safely."

CMP also reminds drivers to use caution when approaching utility crews. The working conditions are difficult, and the workers appreciate everyone's consideration for their safety.

Additional information on storm safety and restoration, including a town-by-town listing of outages in the CMP service area with an area map, can be found on CMP's web site at www.cmpco.com.

 

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CMP Lineworker Garret Couturier repairs storm damage in Augusta.

 

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a diversified energy and utility company with more than $30 billion in assets and operations in 25 states. The company operates regulated utilities and electricity generation through two primary lines of business. Avangrid Networks includes eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving 3.1 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables operates 6.3 gigawatts of electricity capacity, primarily through wind power, in states across the United States. AVANGRID employs 7,000 people. The company was formed by a merger between AVANGRID and UIL Holdings Corporation in 2015. IBERDROLA S.A. (Madrid: IBE), a worldwide leader in the energy industry, owns 81.5% of AVANGRID. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.

 

About CMP: Central Maine Power Company (CMP) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR). As Maine's largest electricity transmission and distribution utility, CMP serves 620,000 homes and businesses, representing about 80% of Maine's customer base. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked the company #1 in customer satisfaction seven times. For more information, visit www.cmpco.com.
 

Media Contact:

Gail Rice 
gail.rice@avangrid.com
207.622.NEWS