CMP Restores 30,000 Customers Overnight

Approximately 60,500 customers remain without power

AUGUSTA, ME—December 25, 2022– Central Maine Power (CMP) restored nearly 30,000 customers overnight Saturday and approximately 60,500 remain without power at 9:00 a.m. Christmas Day from the impacts of Winter Storm Elliott. More than 300,000 customers lost power from the storm.

Hundreds of CMP and contractor line crews and tree crews are spread across CMP’s service area with more travelling into the state today. With localized system damage more fully assessed, the company will be updating estimates for customer restoration times today.

“We are entering that stage of restoration in more remote areas where every repair made to the system restores fewer customers but takes as long to perform as those repairs that restore circuits with hundreds or thousands of customers,” said CMP President and CEO Joe Purington.

“We will remain in the field night and day adding even more crews to get the vast majority of customers back on by Tuesday night. We truly appreciate the support our customers have shown for our hard-working line and tree workers especially knowing that some of them remain out of power.

“We are also very grateful for the local American Legion Halls in Lovell and Livermore Falls and other community organizations that have invited crews for lunch and dinner today, a true neighborly effort on Christmas Day.”

In addition to field crews, CMP has hundreds of customer service and other administrative staff providing support through planning and delivering meals, reserving hotel rooms for crews, and moving equipment and storm supplies.

Customers who remain without power and who seek a warming shelter may consult this list from the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

Customers may find storm preparation tips and a checklist on the CMP website.

Customers may download the free CMP Mobile 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 resources.

If you lose service:

  • For fast outage reporting, visit Outage Central or use the CMP mobile app.
  • 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, visit foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html.

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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