Storm interrupts power to thousands
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
Last Tuesday night’s snowstorm caused thousands of Maine Public Service customers to lose power — off and on — throughout the night and most of the following day.
According to Virginia R. Joles, senior communications specialist, approximately 3,000 accounts were without power due to the recent storm.
“MPS crews continue to work to restore power in central and southern Aroostook County after ice and snow began to bring down tree limbs and power lines,” said Joles in a press release issued around 4 p.m. Wednesday. “Outages are scattered, many in remote areas, making them time-consuming to address. All crews are working and the MPS customer call center if fully staffed.”
Calls reporting the outages first came in from the Grindstone area at around 9 p.m. Dec. 18, and power was restored at 11 p.m. At 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, outages were reported in Masardis, Ashland, Presque Isle and Easton.
“From 4:30-6:30 a.m. Wednesday, numerous calls were reported from the Island Falls area where a major transmission line had been impacted by the wet, heavy snow,” said Joles. “As of 10 a.m., power was restored to all areas south of Island Falls, with the exception of the Sherman area.”
At 11 a.m., 2,200 customers in the Island Falls area lost power for a second time, but it was restored after roughly 80 minutes.
“By 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, crews were closing in on the outages in northern Maine,” said Joles, noting that there were about 210 outages in Sherman, 110 in Oakfield, and the rest were scattered around Easton, Presque Isle, Monticello, Ashland and Bridgewater.
Customers are reminded to stay clear of any fallen power lines or nearby trees touching them. To report outages, customers should call 760-2300 or toll-free at 1-877-655-4448.
