Thousands in Lebanon, Berwick, Acton remain in the dark on Christmas Day

CMP linemen during a massive restoration effort on Saturday (Courtesy/CMP)

CONCORD - With winds subsiding and utility workers able to get back onto bucket trucks on Christmas Eve the vast majority of Granite Staters within The Rochester Voice coverage area were able to celebrate the holiday and their restoration of power, but in Maine thousands of households remain in the dark today on Christmas morn.

As of this morning at 8 a.m. 1,284 households in Lebanon, Maine remain off the power grid. In Berwick, Maine, 1,072 are still without power and another 1,281 are still in the dark in Acton, Maine.

CMP crews were out in force on Christmas Eve, but some 65,000 Maine households remain in the dark on Christmas Day.

CMP said on Saturday they had more than 1,000 crews working on restoration efforts, but as of today 65,000 households remain without power statewide.
Across the border, Eversource is faring much better, but some households across the Northern Seacoast remain in the dark for Christmas, including 31 in Rochester, 141 in Barrington, 79 in Dover, 15 in Farmington, 64 in Milton and 14 in Somersworth

As power is restored to homes and businesses throughout New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Department of Safety's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management urges residents and visitors to use caution during the storm cleanup.

"Storm related threats, such as downed power lines and debris, pose a danger," said HSEM Director Robert Buxton. "Wear protective clothing and be cautious when cleaning up to avoid injury."

Utility crews continue to assess the damage and restore power across the state. As of 3:30 p.m. Saturday more than 47,000 customers remained without power.

Report power outages to your utility provider every 24 hours until it is restored:

Eversource 1-800-662-7764

Liberty Utilities 1-855-349-9455

NH Electric Co-Op 1-800-343-6432

Unitil 1-888-301-7700

Buxton also makes the following safety recommendations:

· Drivers should be alert for crews clearing debris and use caution.

· Never run a generator inside a building or in an enclosed space.

· Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed when you lose power. An unopened refrigerator will keep cold for 4 hours and a full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours. For food safety tips visit USDA.gov.

· Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40°F for 2 or more hours or that has an unusual odor, texture, or color. When in doubt, throw it out.

· If food in the freezer is colder than 40°F and has ice crystals on it, you can refreeze it.

· Contact your doctor if you are concerned about medications having spoiled.

· Don't use appliances or motors that have gotten wet unless they have been taken apart, cleaned, and dried. Some appliances keep electrical charges even after they have been unplugged.

Learn more about clean-up safety at ReadyNH.gov.