Central Maine Power Restores Service to More than 80 Percent of Customers Affected by Wind-Related Outages
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reinforcements from affiliate companies in Connecticut and New York are on their way to help complete restoration to everyone by Wednesday
A CMP lineworker in a bucket repairs completes repairs to equipment atop a utility pole in the Kennebec County town of Sidney.
AUGUSTA, MAINE — October 16, 2018 — Crews from Central Maine Power Co. (CMP), a subsidiary of AVANGRID Inc. (NYSE: AGR), have restored power to more than 80 percent of customers who lost service when strong winds came through Maine overnight. At 4 p.m. Tuesday, fewer than 16,000 customers remained without service. CMP estimates more than 94,000 customers lost service at some point on Tuesday.
CMP estimates that most customers will have service back by late Tuesday evening, however the restoration effort will continue into Wednesday in some areas. Anyone who does not have power back by late Tuesday can expect restoration on Wednesday. Estimated restoration times are being updated at http://www.cmpco.com/outages/outageinformation.html. CMP urges customers to check the page often, as estimates continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
Nearly 350 lineworkers -- plus scores of supervisors, safety specialists, assessors, and support personnel – have been working on storm recovery since very early Tuesday morning. In addition to working on roadside distribution lines, CMP and contractors have been patrolling remote transmission lines using helicopters and drones. The aerial patrols have allowed the utility to complete damage assessments and deploy repair crews more safely and efficiently.
CMP has been coordinating its efforts with the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). It has also been working closely with county EMAs and local municipalities to de-energize downed lines and ensure first responders and other members of the pubic remain safe.
CMP reminds drivers to use caution when approaching utility crews. The working conditions are difficult, and the workers appreciate everyone’s consideration for their safety.
Additional information on storm safety and restoration, including a town-by-town listing of outages in the CMP service area with an area map, can be found on CMP’s web site at http://www.cmpco.com/Outages/default.html. Because the situation is changing rapidly, customers are urged to check back often for updates.
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About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a leading, sustainable energy company with $31 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 eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving 3.2 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates 7.1 gigawatts of electricity capacity, primarily through wind power, with a presence in 22 states across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 6,500 people. AVANGRID supports the U.N.’s Sustainability Development Goals, received a Climate Development Project climate score of “A-,” the top score received in the utilities sector, and has been recognized for two consecutive years by Ethical Boardroom as the North American utility with the “best corporate governance practices.” For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.