CMP Restores 84,000 Customers from Storm

Wet snow, road conditions continue to present challenges

AUGUSTA, ME – December 18, 2022 – Central Maine Power has restored more than 84,000 customers across the company’s service area since the storm began early Saturday morning,  with more than 64 additional contractors from Canada, Pennsylvania and New York joining the effort today. A total of 1700 line, vegetation and other support workers are engaged out on the system Sunday actively restoring power.

The company has been shifting more resources to Oxford and Androscoggin Counties, areas hit hardest by the storm and anticipates that some customers in these areas may not be restored until Monday or even Tuesday for extremely remote addresses.

“This is a challenging restoration process as we are still finding it difficult to drive to some of the damaged parts of the system to estimate repair needs and provide restoration times,” said Kerri Therriault, senior director, Electric Operations. “And as the trees are still loaded with wet, heavy snow, we are having more limbs come down onto the system and heavy snow falling on vehicles and employees, a safety issue we need to manage and one that is causing even more outages.

“We know we have some customers who have been without power for over a day. We are doing everything we can to both provide solid estimates of when it will be restored so they can plan, and putting more resources into those areas for faster restoration.”

CMP has ensured all schools have power.  

Customers may download the mobile CMP app at the App Store enabling them to report outages quickly and easily, and track restoration times. They may also enroll online in Outage Alerts to stay current in the event they lose power.

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.


If you lose service:


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.

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $40 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 2022 for the fourth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.

Media Contact:

Catharine Hartnett
Catharine.Hartnett@Avangrid.com
207.458.3510

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