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Sponsored by: Central Maine Power
December 5, 2024

No matter the weather, CMP crews are prepared

With heavy, wet snow impacting many of our customers over Thanksgiving, winter has officially returned to Maine. This is the third consecutive holiday season during which CMP crews have had to battle the elements following a damaging storm, and it builds on a trend of disruptive winter weather that continues to affect our customers each year.

Pedro Azagra, CEO of Avangrid

In recent years, some recovery efforts have surpassed those of the 1998 Ice Storm, yet in each instance the women and men of CMP have responded in force, working nights, weekends, and holidays in freezing temperatures and rough conditions. On behalf of Ignacio Galan, Avangrid Chairman of the Board, and the Board of Directors of Avangrid, I want to thank our women and men for their tireless work.

It is no secret that the strength and severity of the storms we’ve faced over the past several years have largely been driven by climate change. In fact, the U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index, a tool created by the Environmental Defense Fund and Texas A&M University, ranks Maine as the most vulnerable state in the nation when it comes to extreme storms. For CMP and Avangrid crews, this reality has created unique challenges, especially when it comes to the health of trees.

A leading cause of outages in Maine is trees falling from outside CMP’s legally authorized trim areas. For generations, trees in Maine have grown to withstand weather patterns that typically bring north and northeasterly winds. Now, however, it is not uncommon for winds to gust from southerly directions hitting trees on their weaker sides, bringing them down. At the same time, wind speeds are commonly reaching 50 and 60 miles per hour during extreme storms, and last December, wind speeds even topped 93 mph in Trescott, Maine. 

Warmer temperatures are also creating more damaging conditions. In the past, a typical Nor’easter would bring cold air, which would create dryer, lighter snow. But with temperatures being just a few degrees warmer, we now see the weight of heavy, wet, cement-like snow bring down massive trees that are already stressed by other environmental factors.

With 25 storms last year, these weather events are not only straining Maine’s energy grid; they are also putting the skills and training of our line crews to the test. I know I speak for all of us, including CMP’s CEO Joe Purington, when I say how incredibly grateful I am for the unwavering commitment our lineworkers have for our customers. Each year they sacrifice holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and other important family milestones to restore power safely when called upon.

When the power goes out, it is not only an inconvenience – we understand that it disrupts every facet of modern life. As Maine’s grid evolves, so does our ability to restore power faster and more efficiently. While energy demand and extreme weather threats will continue to increase, strengthening the energy grid is now more important than ever. 

We are committed to serving every customer with safe and reliable service, while also recognizing our responsibility to work to keep bills as low as possible. By making investments in a smarter and stronger energy grid, we can reduce outages, improve response times, and protect the energy grid against damage from extreme weather. A strong and modern energy grid will ensure we can meet today’s challenges and better anticipate those of tomorrow.

Time will tell what kind of weather this winter season will bring, but to the hundreds of CMP women and men who are preparing for yet another winter weather season, thank you for your service and your commitment to our customers.