CMP Restores More than 40,000 Customers in Heavy Snow

Some communities remain impassable

AUGUSTA, ME – December 17, 2022 – Approximately 108,700 Central Maine Power (CMP)  customers have lost power in the first major snowstorm of the season that dumped well over a foot of wet, heavy snow across many parts of the state. Restoration efforts are challenged by treacherous roads—with some impassable. While the company has restored approximately 43,000 customers today, nearly 65,000 remain without power as the storm exits our state late this afternoon. Because of the heavy snow and the duration of the storm, some customers have experienced second outages after having power restored.

“Our goal is to restore power to our customers as safely and quickly as possible. While we are actively restoring as soon as a storm hits, our priority is to assist local Emergency Management Officials in clearing downed wires and debris from local roads so that emergency vehicles can pass,” said Kerri Therriault, senior director, Electric Operations.

“Given the travel and access challenges, along with the extent of damage to the system from tree limbs weighing down our lines from the heavy, wet snow, this will be a multiple day restoration effort and some customers may be out of power until late Monday evening or early Tuesday in some of the hardest hit, more remote areas. We will continue to update estimated times of restoration for our customers as the system damage gets assessed through the course of our restoration efforts.”

Today, there are more than 1,000 resources engaged in the restoration efforts, including our internal CMP line crews, 220 contractor lineworkers including from CMP’s Avangrid sister companies in Connecticut and New York, and 238 tree workers out on the system. More than 580 additional lineworkers arrive tonight  to assist tomorrow.   

“We thank our customers for their patience as we restore power and our employees for their efforts restoring power safely to customers,” said Joe Purington, President & CEO.

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

Customers may download the mobile CMP 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 resource.


If you lose service:


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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