Nearly 170,000 CMP Customers Restored from Winter Storm

Company anticipates fill restoration early next week

AUGUSTA, ME—December 24, 2022– Central Maine Power (CMP) has restored approximately142,000 customers from a total of 300,765 who lost power during Winter Storm Elliott. Approximately 550 Central Maine Power (CMP) and contracted lineworker crews along with 230 tree crews are spread across CMP’s service area today and CMP plans to add another150 crews to the system tomorrow to assist in the restoration. Approximately 131,000 customers remain without power at 4:00 PM.

“Our crews have made very good progress on the system today and will continue working overnight,” said CMP President and CEO Joe Purington. “As we have been better able to investigate total system damage, it is clear that we will be unable to restore all customers until early in the next week.”

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

Crews continue to be challenged by localized road damage and flooding as they try to make repairs. For example, they must make lengthy detours in Rumford because of flooding on Route 2. Local erosion in Southern Maine caused by heavy rains has unearthed some utility poles and the company is reporting that 190 utility poles across the system have broken and must be replaced.

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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