GMP Uses Drone Technology to Reduce Outage Durations and Lower Costs for Customers after Severe, Damaging Storms

COLCHESTER, Vt. – Drones are helping Green Mountain Power (GMP) speed up power restoration for customers after damaging severe weather. Ten GMP field assessors have been certified as drone pilots, adding a new tool as they perform important infrastructure assessments after severe weather events, a key step to help line crews in safe, quick storm restoration for customers. Since January, GMP field assessors have conducted over 150 flights following damaging storms, including Debby, to examine lines, poles and other infrastructure, quickly locating damaged equipment. This strategy saves hours of time hiking miles on foot in rough, remote terrain to search for the damage – all before line crews can move in to make repairs. 

“We are saving time while customers are waiting for service restoration, and crews face less exposure to hazardous working conditions. The detailed drone images can quickly pinpoint the exact location and cause of damage, which is critical information during a major storm response. This allows us to know what equipment is needed before hiking in to make repairs, and how long repairs could likely take,” said Mike Burke, GMP’s vice president of operations.

Drone assessment is very useful for the 80% of GMP’s lines that are rural, serving about 15 customers per mile. These lines are cross-country and away from the roadside, meaning crews must hike, snowshoe, or use ATVs to reach them, and then climb the poles, hauling equipment by hand to maintain lines or make repairs.  

“There’s no question this is the new normal for Vermont, so we have to think differently about our responses going forward. This is one way for us to increase safety and efficiency for our crews and reduce storm costs and outage times for our customers. Additionally, we’ll continue to storm harden and underground our lines as quickly as possible to further reduce outages and protect our customers from ongoing severe weather events,” said Mike Burke, GMP’s vice president of operations.

Drones are just the latest way GMP is delivering a more resilient energy system for customers while driving down escalating storm repair costs due to the unprecedented string of severe storms Vermont is seeing due to climate change. GMP has been working proactively with proven solutions by rapidly undergrounding lines in many areas, storm-hardening above ground lines with stronger cables and spacer cable, and expanding energy storage, microgrids, and resiliency zones. 

About Green Mountain Power

Green Mountain Power serves more than 275,000 residential and business customers in Vermont with electricity that’s 100% carbon free and 80% renewable on an annual basis. GMP is partnering with customers to provide solutions that deliver resiliency and affordability while cutting carbon and costs for all. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. GMP was named to Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Companies in the World list, the sixth time earning that honor. In 2023 and 2021 the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) honored GMP as a nationwide leader in energy transformation. And, in 2022 GMP was named to TIME’s list of the 100 Most Influential Companies for its groundbreaking resiliency work to transform the grid for customers.

We are saving time while customers are waiting for service restoration, and crews face less exposure to hazardous working conditions. The detailed drone images can quickly pinpoint the exact location and cause of damage, which is critical information during a major storm response. This allows us to know what equipment is needed before hiking in to make repairs, and how long repairs could likely take.

Mike Burke, GMP’s vice president of operations

How GMP restores power