CMP Closely Monitoring Hurricane Lee
Since last week, experts have been carefully evaluating storm's track while noting that tree health is raising concerns
AUGUSTA, ME — September 13, 2023 — Central Maine Power (CMP) is closely monitoring Hurricane Lee, which could begin to impact Maine this Friday.
“CMP’s meteorologists are continuously updating our teams with the latest information on Hurricane Lee so we can appropriately prepare,” said CMP spokesperson, Jon Breed. “While forecast models continue to present different storm outcomes, as the track becomes clearer over the next 24-36 hours, we will provide regular updates to our customers on our storm response planning and preparations.”
Maine has had an extraordinarily wet summer, which has resulted in tree stress due to increased soil saturation, flooding, and nutrient runoff. These conditions, which can lead to weakened or rotted root systems, has negatively affected the health of trees across Maine. Some trees began changing color and losing leaves as early as August.
“This summer, the number one cause of power outages has been from stressed trees located outside CMP’s legal ‘right-of-way’ zone that either fall or lose limbs during storms,” said Katie Manende, who leads CMP’s vegetation management program. “Depending on Hurricane Lee’s track and the strength of the storm’s winds, we could see worsened impacts to Maine’s power grid because of these conditions.”
Maine has the highest tree density of any state in the country, along with incredibly stringent tree laws. As a regulated business, Central Maine Power cannot remove trees or exceed the allowed “right-of-way” trimming if a tree is on a customer’s private property, and the company must consult landowners prior to any significant modification to a shade tree, in accordance with the Maine Shade Tree Law.
Central Maine Power maintains a MPUC approved trim zone, which is defined as 8 feet of side clearance, 15 feet overhead, and 10 feet from the lowest electrical conductor.
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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 $41 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, AVANGRID owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, AVANGRID owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs more than 7,500 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022 and 2023 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2023, AVANGRID ranked first within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment. 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. AVANGRID is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit https://www.avangrid.com.
Media Contact:
Jon Breed
Jonathan.Breed@avangrid.com
207.458.3510