Press Releases
03/30/2020
AVANGRID Companies Donate 31,000 Protective Masks To Hospitals Amid Critical Shortages of Protective Gear
AVANGRID Companies Donate 31,000 Protective Masks To Hospitals Amid Critical Shortages of Protective Gear
ORANGE, Conn. — March 30, 2020 — AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) announced today it is donating a total of 31,000 protective masks to hospitals and other institutions facing critical shortages of protective gear during the coronavirus pandemic.
The donation includes 16,000 surgical masks and 15,000 N95 respirators, which will be distributed in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New York, where Avangrid Networks companies provide electricity and natural gas services. The masks are being shipped today to receiving centers in each state.
“As we implemented our crisis plans and took stock of inventory over the last few weeks, we determined that our companies had protective masks in storage that could be used by healthcare workers and other first responders,” said James P. Torgerson, CEO of AVANGRID. “Given the dire shortages of masks and other protective equipment faced by medical facilities and emergency responders across the nation, we have an opportunity and an obligation to help. We sincerely hope that by doing this we are able to help save lives.”
In addition to the donation of masks, the AVANGRID companies have also taken steps to reinforce the electric system that provides energy to hospitals and other critical facilities whose services are essential during the crisis. Company personnel have been inspecting the electrical circuits that serve those facilities and performing maintenance work to help prevent service disruptions.
Today’s announcement builds on AVANGRID’s pledge to support the communities that its companies serve. On Wednesday, AVANGRID and its independent, nonprofit charitable arm, the Avangrid Foundation, committed $2 million to support coronavirus relief and recovery.
AVANGRID’s natural gas and electric companies are: Berkshire Gas of Pittsfield, Mass.; Central Maine Power of Augusta, Maine; Connecticut Natural Gas of East Hartford, Conn.; Maine Natural Gas of Brunswick, Maine; New York State Electric and Gas of Binghamton, N.Y.; Rochester Gas & Electric of Rochester, N.Y.; Southern Connecticut Gas of Orange, Conn.; and United Illuminating of Orange, Conn.
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About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $44 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About Iberdrola: Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others.
With a workforce of nearly 40,000 and assets in excess of €141.7 billion, across the world, Iberdrola helps to support 400,000 jobs across its supply chain, with annual procurement of €12.2 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €130 billion over the past two decades to help build a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.
