Central Maine Power Company (CMP) crews are braving the elements as they work to repair damage from a storm packing heavy rain and strong winds.
As of 11:30 a.m. today, Oct. 15, an estimated 20,261 customer accounts were without service. Hardest hit have been coastal communities in Lincoln (3331 without power), Knox, and Waldo and Cumberland Counties. There has also been considerable damage in other parts of CMP’s service area.
CMP spokesman John Carroll said the utility’s storm response team began preparations earlier this week.
“We had already put tree crews and contractors on alert, and this morning, we were able to deploy them immediately to the hardest hit areas,” said Carroll. “We have also been in touch with the Maine Emergency Management Agency and with county EMAs throughout our service area, keeping them up to date on damage and repair efforts in their communities.”
Carroll cautioned that more outages are possible as long as strong winds continue to blow.
“People in the field have told us that winds have been up to 40, even 50 miles per hour in some areas. As long as these strong winds continue, there is risk for additional outages,” he said. “We will have all available crews working around the clock to fix the damage and restore service to customers.”
CMP offers customers some simple steps to stay safe and comfortable if power outages do occur.
• Keep the CMP outage reporting number and account number handy. An outage report will be registered automatically when you call the outage number: 1-800-696-1000.
• Keep battery-operated flashlights and radios on hand, along with supplies of drinking water and non-perishable foods.
• Never use grills or camp stoves indoors – they can give off dangerous gases.
• For customers with generators: Carefully read and observe all instructions in your generator’s owner manual; don’t run a generator indoors, even in an open garage; hire a licensed electrician to install permanent generators and transfer switches; make sure portable generators are properly grounded; and, don’t store fuel indoors or try to refuel a generator while it’s running.
Refer to CMP’s webpage on generator safety: http://www.cmpco.com/UsageAndSafety/electricalsafety/GeneratorSafety/default.html
The company urges customers to use caution if they see downed lines.
“If the storm hits, our first concern will be public safety. Everyone should stay clear of any downed power lines and fallen trees along the roadway,” said Carroll. “Downed lines should all be considered live and dangerous. The public should leave the clean-up to our crews, who are trained and equipped to handle these situations safely.”
CMP also reminds drivers to use caution when approaching utility crews in the roadway. The working conditions are difficult, and they will 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 at www.cmpco.com.