Central Maine Power Storm Recovery Effort Continues

 

 

Utility crews flooding into areas with remaining outages

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

AUGUSTA, Maine  November 4, 2017  Central Maine Power Co. (CMP), a subsidiary of AVANGRID Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a diversified energy and utility company, has more than 3,300 people working on storm recovery today. At 9y a.m. Saturday, an estimated 35,000 homes and businesses remained without service following the wind and rain storm that hit Maine earlier this week. That is down from a peak of 404,000 at midday Monday.


We are getting support from utilities and contractors in 14 states and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec, said CMP President and CEO Sara Burns. We and our customers welcome the crews who have come to help us.  We are focused on restoring service for customers and keeping everyone safe in the process, and appreciate customers patience and support as we continue to recover from this unprecedented event.


The company expects to have service restored to the majority of customers by late this evening. Exceptions could include homes on remote camp lines, in areas where flooding or downed trees prevent access, some coastal islands and peninsulas, and individual service cables. Restoration estimates by town are being updated at CMP Outage with the most current information.

 

At this stage of the storm recovery, outage numbers may fluctuate as additional trees and limbs fall and come in contact with power lines. It is also possible that crews may need to temporarily disrupt power to circuits to perform work safely. Burns said. "We have reached the point where each repair brings back fewer and fewer customers  in some cases we are literally bringing back one customer at a time -- but we continue to make steady progress." 


The company's workforce of more than 3,300 people includes tree clearing crews, line and substation repair crews, and safety, logistics, assessors, and mechanical repair personnel.


"Our crews are working as quickly and safely as possible, and we ask people to refrain from approaching them with questions that can slow their work and create safety concerns, said CMP spokesperson Gail Rice. We encourage customers to go to our website for restoration updates, and let our crews focus on safety as they go about their tasks."

CMP offers customers the following tips to stay safe and comfortable.


During a power interruption:

  • Power outages can be reported on line at CMP's mobile-friendly website ( CMP Outage) 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 CMP Outage (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: generator safety
  • Visit CMP Storm safety 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 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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About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a diversified energy and utility company with more than $31 billion in assets and operations in 27 states. The company owns regulated utilities and electricity generation assets through two primary lines of business, Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks is comprised of eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving approximately 3.2 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables operates more than 6 gigawatts of owned and controlled renewable generation capacity, primarily through wind and solar, in 22 states across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 6,800 people. 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 618,000 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

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