CMP Restores Power to 29,000 Homes and Will Work Through the Night

Strong, gusty winds swept across Maine on Friday, knocking down trees, snapping branches, and leaving thousands of homes and businesses without electricity. In the aftermath, Central Maine Power crews fanned out across the state, working long hours to bring the lights back on as quickly and safely as possible.

CMP said the widespread outages were caused primarily by falling trees and limbs making contact with power lines, a familiar problem in a heavily forested state like Maine. Wind gusts strong enough to topple weakened trees created challenges from the coast to inland communities, forcing crews to respond to hundreds of separate trouble spots.

Lineworkers, tree crews, and support staff were mobilized early, with additional crews brought in to reinforce local teams. CMP officials said the restoration process follows a set priority: first repairing transmission lines that serve large numbers of customers, then substations, and finally neighborhood lines and individual service connections. Hospitals, emergency services, and other critical facilities are restored as quickly as conditions allow.

Another thing to consider is that when winds are higher than 30 mph, CMP crews cannot lift the bucket truck arms for safety concerns.

Crews often have to clear debris and fallen trees before repairs can even begin, a time-consuming but necessary step to ensure safety. CMP reminded residents to stay clear of downed power lines, assume they are live, and report outages or hazards through the company’s website or automated phone system rather than calling 911.

As the winds ease, restoration efforts typically accelerate, though CMP noted that some customers in hard-to-reach or heavily damaged areas may experience longer outages. The company encouraged patience and thanked customers for their understanding, while also acknowledging the dedication of lineworkers who continue to work around the clock, often in difficult and dangerous conditions, to restore power across Maine.

If you do not have power and are in a life-threatening situation, dial 911.

If your electricity service is out, notify CMP by reporting an outage. You can also call 800.696.1000 to report an outage.