GMP Positioning Crews to Respond Efficiently and Safely to Possible Outages
COLCHESTER, Vt. – Green Mountain Power (GMP) is urging safety for customers as forecasters continue to say a complex regional storm will bring heavy precipitation, ice, strong winds and possible flooding and outages Saturday evening through Sunday. The National Weather Service posted an Ice Storm Warning for Grand Isle and Franklin counties in Vermont, and parts of Northern New York. There is also a Flood Watch Saturday through Sunday for much of Vermont plus parts of northern New York. Forecasters say ice accumulations could create travel hazards and possible outages across the Champlain Valley and especially northwestern Vermont. Strong wind gusts are forecasted for southern Vermont and could also cause damage and outages. GMP’s field operations team has been tracking multiple forecasts and preparing for this weather system for days. Crews, including extra crews brought in from out of state, are being positioned so that they can respond to customers quickly and safely.
“We are prepared for the forecast, and we want customers to be prepared, too, as safety is so important. If the storm plays out the way forecasters predict we could see outages due to heavy icing in the Champlain Valley and northern Vermont, and from winds in southern Vermont, and depending on the severity of the damage, there’s the possibility of extended outages. Remember to be safe and stay away from any lines or trees that may come down,” said Mike Burke, GMP’s chief field operations executive.
Vermont Emergency Management is urging Vermonters to heed the weather forecasts, posting on social media: “Go to the grocery store for essentials and make sure you have batteries for your flashlights and other alternative light sources. Some river flooding, slippery roads, and power outages are all possible in areas of Vermont.”
GMP is also recommending customers stay alert to changing weather and water conditions, stay away from all downed lines or trees, and be aware of hazardous road conditions. Customers can call 888-835-4672 to report outages and should call 911 for a medical emergency.
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Report outages and track restoration times in GMP’s online Outage Center.
About Green Mountain Power
Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and is partnering with them to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP earned a spot on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the World list three years in a row (2017, 2018, 2019). 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. J.D. Power’s 2018 and 2019 rankings put GMP among top utilities for customer satisfaction. In 2019, GMP was named “One of the Best Places To Work in Vermont” by Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and was the winner of the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Vermont Business of the Year Award.
Kristin Kelly, Green Mountain Power
(802) 318-0872
[email protected]
We are prepared for the forecast, and we want customers to be prepared, too, as safety is so important.
Mike Burke, GMP Chief Field Operations Executive