The powerful thunderstorms, bringing rain and gusty winds, sped quickly through the Midcoast Thursday afternoon, felling limbs and some old trees.

Crews from Central Maine Power Co., a subsidiary of AVANGRID Inc. (NYSE: AGR), were out in full force after the storms, repairing damage in southern and coastal Maine. The company reported an estimated 22,000 outages at 5:30 p.m. and estimated more than 29,700 customer accounts have lost power at some point over the past six hours.

Most of the outages were in Cumberland, Lincoln, and Sagadahoc counties, where strong winds caused tree limbs from outside the utility’s right of way to come into contact with lines. There were multiple reports of trees down blocking roadways in coastal communities from Freeport to Bristol, as well as some inland towns.

As of 8:30 p.m., Sept. 6, CMP had a little more to go to restore power.

Crews were working to restore service as safely and efficiently as possible. CMP brought more personnel and equipment to areas with the greatest damage. It is also coordinating with the Maine Emergency Management Agency and county emergency management personnel. 

CMP first repairs the backbone of the electricity system – transmission lines and substations – that route electricity to the local distribution system that serves customers. Crews then make any necessary repairs to the distribution system that includes the poles and power lines along streets and roads, focusing first on those circuits where they can restore power to the largest number of customers. Next are secondary lines that serve smaller neighborhoods, followed by repairs to service lines to individual homes and businesses. .

CMP offers customers the following tips to prepare for the storm and stay safe and comfortable if power outages do occur.

During a power interruption:

• Power outages can be reported on line at CMP’s mobile-friendly website (https://m.cmpco.com/mt/ecmp.cmpco.com/WebOutage) or by calling 1.800.696.1000. Our systems automatically create a work order and set the stage for dispatch of crews to the outage location.
• Bookmark the Outage Central page at http://www.cmpco.com/Outages/default.html(mobile friendly at https://m.cmpco.com/mt/www.cmpco.com) and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for current outage and safety information.
• When using an emergency heating source, like a wood stove, fireplace, or kerosene heater, keep fuels away from the flames and be sure to ventilate properly.
• Never use grills or camp stoves indoors — they can give off dangerous gases.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible. Most food will last 24 hours or longer if you minimize the opening of refrigerator and freezer doors.
• Turn off or unplug major appliances to avoid overloading circuits when power is restored.

After power is restored

• Turn on appliances and sensitive electronic equipment one at a time to avoid overloading circuits.
• If a basement or home was flooded, have an electrician check the home before contacting CMP to have services turned on.
• Replenish any emergency supplies used during the storm.

CMP urges customers to stay clear of any downed power lines or fallen trees that may be tangled in lines. It also reminds drivers to use caution when approaching utility crews. The working conditions are difficult, and the workers 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 on CMP’s web site at www.cmpco.com. 

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