CMP Responding to Outages Caused by Strong Winds
AUGUSTA, ME—February 18, 2022– Central Maine Power (CMP) is responding to outages caused by strong winds throughout its service area late Thursday night into Friday morning. CMP’s 200 internal lineworkers are being supported by an additional 160 external lineworkers and 110 tree crews.
“Strong winds have resulted in outages across our service area, but our crews are hard at work restoring power as quickly and safely as possible,” said CMP’s vice president of electric operations, Adam Desrosiers. “We will continue to work throughout the day until power has been restored to each and every customer. In the meantime, we’re reminding folks to stay safe and to steer clear of any downed power lines.”
CMP is working with closely with local and county Emergency Management officials to ensure roads are cleared of any downed wires and/or debris and to understand local restoration priorities.
CMP offers storm preparation tips and a checklist on our website www.cmpco.com .
CMP reminds customers to remember the following if they have lost power:
- Stay away from downed lines. No line is safe to touch.
- Turn off or unplug major appliance and sensitive electronics.
- Never use range or outdoor stoves to heat your home.
- If you need shelter or food, reach out to 211 for available resource.
Customers may use the CMP Mobile App to report and check the status of power outages. Visit the Apple App store or Google Play store to download for free. Additional online tools to report and monitor outages are accessible on our Outage Central page .
If you lose service:
- To report an outage, visit Outage Central at cmpco.com. Customers may also report an outage using CMP’s 24/7 automated phone system at 800.696.1000.
- Keep sensitive electronic appliances such as computers, TVs and stereos plugged into a surge protector, or unplug them. They could be damaged if a power surge occurs when electricity is restored.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. For information about food safety, visit FoodSafety.gov's Food Safety During Power Outage page.
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 .
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About CMP: 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 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 $39 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021 and 2022 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2022, AVANGRID ranked second within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2021 for the third consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.
Learn about the Iberdrola Group’s global pandemic response at its COVID-19 Hub.
Media Contact:
-
Emily Spencer
Emily2.Spencer2@avangrid.com
207.274.4702