CMP Prepares for Winter Storm Season with Emergency Response Plan Drill
CMP teams from across the state took part in mock storm drill to review protocols and practices ahead of, during, and after storms
Augusta, ME —November 20, 2024 – Ahead of the 2025 winter storm season, Central Maine Power (CMP) staff from across the state practiced its Emergency Response Plan at CMP’s headquarters in Augusta. More than fifty people attended, including staff from every service center across the state, CMP’s area and incident commanders, and Avangrid’s Emergency Management Team.
The practice drill included a mock winter storm that brought heavy rains, flooding, and significant winds to Maine. The team reviewed protocols and practices that happen ahead of a storm, during the restoration process, and as crews demobilize after an event. For every storm, CMP follows specific processes including tracking weather forecasts, prestaging crews, and restoring power as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible.
“Storms in Maine are becoming stronger and more frequent. Every year, we practice our protocol and response efforts to make sure we are prepared in any situation. At the same time, crews work every day building a smarter, stronger, more resilient grid for our customers,” said Stephanie Roper, CMP’s Director of Electric Operations.
CMP is investing in the power grid throughout the year, upgrading and modernizing the system so it can better withstand extreme weather. That includes replacing wooden crossarms with fiberglass and wooden transmission poles with steel, upgrading wire so it is better protected from tree branches, and installing thicker utility poles.
Recently, CMP also hosted representatives from the Maine Emergency Management Agency and nine other partner agencies for a coordination meeting ahead of the 2024-2025 storm season. Participants reviewed large-scale responses and shared lessons learned from the three major storms that struck in the past year – the major windstorm in December 2023, the ice storm in March 2024 and the nor’easter in April 2024.
In June 2024, CMP was awarded the Edison Electric Institute’s prestigious Emergency Recovery Award, recognizing the tireless work by CMP crews during the December 2023 windstorm in which more than 400,000 customers lost power.
# # #
About Central Maine Power: Central Maine Power Company (CMP), a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc., is Maine’s largest electricity transmission and distribution utility. Established in 1899 and based in Augusta, Maine, CMP serves approximately 646,000 customers across 346 communities in central and southern Maine. It operates approximately 23,500 miles of distribution lines and 2,900 miles of transmission lines. Over the last decade, the company has invested approximately $3.5 billion in Maine system infrastructure. For more information, visit www.cmpco.com.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $46 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.