Central Maine Power Conducts Aerial Inspections of Transmission Lines
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUSTA, MAINE May 10, 2018 Central Maine Power, a subsidiary of AVANGRID Inc. (NYSE: AGR), continues its spring inspections of its transmission lines by helicopter. The flights are an important part of the utility's annual inspection program to ensure safe, reliable delivery of power to homes and businesses throughout its service area.
Each spring and fall, CMP does a visual inspection of all of its transmission right-of-ways from the air. These flights help to spot potential problems with equipment, as well as signs of unauthorized use.
"Unauthorized uses in our corridors can pose a risk to our energy grid or the environment," said Tom DePeter, director of System Operations at AVANGRID. "We want to be a good neighbor by preventing abuses such as off-road vehicle use or disposal of trash or brush."
In addition to the spring and fall visual inspections, CMP also flies over one-quarter of its transmission system in the summer using a helicopter equipped with infrared thermal imaging equipment to detect hot spots that might need attention.
"Our lines are exposed to the weather all the time, and extreme temperatures and precipitation can take their toll on switches, clamps, insulators, and other equipment, says DePeter. "These devices often heat up if there's been minor damage or wear, so inspecting the lines with infrared equipment lets us find and fix problems before they cause a power outage."
CMP owns nearly 2,500 miles of transmission line. Along with completing the semi-annual visual patrols and the yearly infrared inspections, the utility does aerial checks following major storms or when it detects an abnormality such as a momentary outage or a change in voltage. The utility has incorporated the use of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones into some of these inspections.
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A helicopter hovers over CMP transmission lines. Every spring and fall, CMP does a visual inspection of all of its transmission right-of-ways from the air. These flights help to spot potential problems with equipment, as well as signs of unauthorized use.
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