Press Releases
09/14/2023
Avangrid Companies Preparing for Impacts from Hurricane Lee
Avangrid Companies Preparing for Impacts from Hurricane Lee
Companies prepared to deploy multi-state network of resources to bolster efforts in hardest hit areas
ORANGE, Conn. — September 14, 2023 — Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) and its subsidiaries Central Maine Power (CMP), United Illuminating (UI) and New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) are preparing for impacts from Hurricane Lee which is expected to impact portions of the northeast Friday and into the weekend. As storm impacts develop, Avangrid is preparing to activate its multi-state network of resources to its hardest hit service areas to bolster response efforts.
“Emergency response is one of the most important ways we support our customers and communities,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “With operations across multiple states, our Emergency Management department facilitates collaboration among our various teams. Having a multi-state network of resources is a big advantage for us during storm response because it offers flexibility so we can quickly adjust to our situation. Our teams will be ready to move to New York, Maine or Connecticut in the coming days to support response efforts.”
Every Avangrid subsidiary has unique Emergency Response Plans that detail priorities and the actions the company will take to address critical situations in its service areas. This week, Avangrid storm teams have been analyzing latest forecasts, prestaging additional line and tree resources and activating company personnel for their storm roles.
In Maine, CMP has brought in extra power restoration crews to provide additional coverage and will stage teams regionally as the weather forecast dictates starting Friday. CMP anticipates heavy impacts from damaged trees due to the wet summer which has resulted in tree stress due to increased soil saturation, flooding and nutrient runoff.
In New York, NYSEG has pre-staged nearly 100 additional line crews to be housed between its Mechanicville and Brewster divisions beginning this Friday. The company also plans to mobilize two mobile command centers to affected areas so that leadership is on the ground during restoration efforts. If minimal impacts occur, NYSEG will send excess crews to its sister companies to support their efforts.
In Connecticut, UI held its Winter Reliability Meeting on Wednesday, September 13 ahead of the storm season and discussed Hurricane Lee preparations with local municipal officials, which includes onboarding additional crews and activating staff for their storm roles. The company is preparing for potential rain and tropical storm-force winds. If minimal impacts occur, UI will direct crews to support its sister companies’ restoration efforts.
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.
