Debby Hits Vermont Hard with Damaging Winds and Rain, Crews Make Significant Progress Repairing Extensive Damage

COLCHESTER, Vt. – Crews made tremendous progress through hazardous conditions since Debby hit Friday afternoon, restoring power to more than 36,000 Green Mountain Power (GMP) customers so far, with about 9,900 to go. There is widespread damage statewide, with the most severe damage in the Champlain Valley along the western slopes of the Green Mountains, with massive trees torn down from where the winds hit the hardest. In many locations, crews continue to first clear roads along with local first responders to make access passable and safe. Forecasters predicted wind gusts up to 50 MPH, and the actual winds were measured at over 60 MPH in several locations. The increased wind strength was amplified even further by the already saturated wet ground, making it easier for large trees to break and fall. In addition to the GMP team, GMP expanded its field force in advance of the storm with external crews and will continue to add external crews arriving today from other parts of the region. 

“Safety is our focus for customers and for crews out working. There is widespread, extensive damage in many locations. The repeated storms we are experiencing in Vermont are not just heartbreaking, they are happening more frequently and they are doing more damage like this,” said Mike Burke, GMP’s vice president of operations. “These higher than forecasted winds had tremendous force, snapping multiple poles across our service area, taking down large trees and lines. If you see a downed line or tree, stay far away, and assume it is still energized,” Burke said.

While GMP expects most customers could be restored by the end of the day, repairing the extensive damage could take through Sunday for customers in more remote areas.

GMP is reminding customers to report any downed lines or other issues. 

More storm preparation and safety tips are available on GMP’s website. 

Using the GMP app is a convenient way to report outages, track restoration, and manage your GMP account. Signing up for GMP Text Alerts sends storm and restoration updates to your cellphone. You can also report outages through the Outage Center on GMP’s website or call 888-835-4672.

Extreme weather conditions and storms are growing increasingly common in Vermont and GMP has been working proactively by rapidly (1) undergrounding lines in many areas, (2) storm-hardening above ground lines with stronger cables, and (3) 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 2024, 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. 

Safety is our focus for customers and for crews out working. There is widespread, extensive damage in many locations. The repeated storms we are experiencing in Vermont are not just heartbreaking, they are happening more frequently and they are doing more damage like this.

Mike Burke, GMP’s vice president of operations