B/Roll & Podcast: Central Maine Power Preparing for Winter Storm

Storm teams are monitoring forecasts and conducting pre-storm activities, including helicopter inspections of transmission system

Augusta, ME — April 2, 2024 — Last week, Central Maine Power (CMP) began monitoring a strong winter storm that is expected to impact its service area beginning on Wednesday and lasting until Friday. More than a foot of heavy, wet snow is forecasted to cover interior parts of Maine, and gusty winds are expected along the coast. 

Preparations for this storm are well underway. Over the course of this week, CMP has secured additional line crews, inspected hundreds of miles of transmission lines by helicopter, and storm teams continue to track the forecast by the hour.

“We are tracking this storm closely, and we are making preparations across our service area. As the forecast continues to evolve over the next twenty-four hours, we will continue to refine our planning,” said Jon Breed, spokesperson for Central Maine Power. “Preparations today included helicopter inspections of our entire transmission system, which is the backbone of our electric grid.”

In every storm, CMP partners with local Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) to respond to emergency requests. For example, during last week’s ice storm, CMP responded to more than 875 of these emergency calls.

This is the subject of our latest podcast, On the Line, which can be found here: 

B/Roll of today’s helicopter inspections can be downloaded here. News media has rights-free permission to use this content.

In the event of an outage, customers can report outages quickly and easily, and track restoration times using the CMP mobile app. Download from the App Store or text APP to 267.898 for a downloadable link. Customers may also enroll in Outage Alerts to stay informed in the event they lose power.

Customers may find storm preparation tips and a checklist on the CMP website. 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 appliances and sensitive electronics.
  • Never use ranges or outdoor stoves to heat your home.
  • If you need shelter or food, reach out to 211 for available resources. 

If you lose service:

  • For fast outage reporting, use the CMP mobile app or visit Outage Central.
  • 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, click here.

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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