More than 200,000 Central Maine Power and Versant customers are without power this morning. CMP reports most of its outages are in York and Cumberland Counties. Versant reports the majority of its outages are in Aroostook, Hancock and Penobscot Counties.
In a statement, Central Maine Power said that it had restored power to nearly 130,000 customers from a total of 300,765 who lost power during Friday's storm. CMP says approximately 550 CMP and contracted lineworker crews as well as 230 tree crews are spread across the company's service area to clear roads and restore power. The company also has 50 digger trucks to replace broken utility poles.
Adam Desrosiers, CMP's vice president of electric operations, said the company has brought in crews from Georgia and Tennessee to help restore power and crews will work on Christmas.
"That's an expectation we set early on in the planning. And it's our obligation as a utility company," Desrosiers said. "Our employees are aware. Christmas is a tougher holiday to work, but everyone is positive. We have all the shifts filled and all of the buckets filled. We are in good shape."
Desrosiers also said that if customers without power are using generators to ensure that they are hooked up properly.
"During the last storm we had a problem with generators back feeding on the distribution system," Desrosiers said. "That's a significant safety hazard for our folks out there working to restore power."
The Maine Emergency Management Agency recommends that if you have no power and are worried about your pipes that you open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around plumbing, being careful to move harmful products out of the reach of children. MEMA said running a trickle of water through pipes helps can prevent them from freezing.
MEMA is also operating 19 warming centers across Maine. Call 2-1-1 to find one near you, or visit MEMA's website below for a list of locations: https://www.maine.gov/mema/response-recovery/mass-care
