GMP Alerting Customers as Meteorologists Say Regionwide Christmas Eve Storm Has Potential for Outages
COLCHESTER, Vt. – Green Mountain Power (GMP) is reminding customers to be alert to the forecast, as meteorologist predict a regionwide warm, wet weather system bringing the possibility of strong winds that could take down trees and power lines, along with one to two inches of rain and the potential for localized flooding Thursday into Friday. GMP has been tracking this storm for days and is urging customers to be safe.
“We want customers to be aware of possibility of outages and heavy rain this storm may bring. We follow multiple forecasts to be ready to respond as quickly and safely as possible. If winds are strong enough to take down trees and lines, it is so important for customers to stay far away from power lines, and always assume a downed line is still energized and a danger – call us,” said Mike Burke, Chief of Field Operations at GMP.
It is still at least 48 hours before forecasters say the strongest gusts arrive in Vermont. On a statewide planning call for utilities and state agencies, meteorologist Roger Hill, who specifically forecasts for potential weather impacts to utility infrastructure, said winds could slowly ramp up Thursday evening with the strongest gusts above 50 miles per hour possible overnight. “Right now, the models show high elevations and along the western slopes of the Green Mountains are where those winds will be strongest,” Hill said.
In preparation for any storm, some good items to have on hand are a fully charged cell phone, bottled water, battery-powered flashlights, emergency phone numbers, and a plan of where to go if you were to need to leave your home. You can find more storm safety tips on GMP’s website. You can report outages by calling 888-835-4672, through GMP’s online Outage Center, and through GMP’s app.
About Green Mountain Power
Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 266,000 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 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 earned a spot on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the World list four years in a row (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). In 2019 GMP was honored by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Business Magazine with the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Vermont Business of the Year Award.
Kristin Kelly, Green Mountain Power
(802) 318-0872
[email protected]
If winds are strong enough to take down trees and lines, it is so important for customers to stay far away from power lines, and always assume a downed line is still energized and a danger – call us.
Mike Burke, GMP Chief of Field Operation
