Versant Power prepares for high winds and heavy rains late Thursday into Saturday

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Bangor and Presque Isle, Maine — Versant Power is preparing for impacts of a quick-moving storm expected to bring high winds and heavy rain to most of the state late Thursday into Saturday. Wind gusts up to 70mph are predicted throughout our service territory, particularly along the coast.

“We are closely monitoring the weather and preparing a full complement of field, contract and tree crews to address public safety issues, begin assessing any damage, and to conduct any necessary repairs,” said Judy Long, storm manager for Versant Power. “With the severity of the weather predicted at this point in time, it is possible that restoration efforts following the storm will take multiple days.”

If you must travel, be mindful of flooding or pooling of water on roadways, as well as downed trees, branches or power lines. Do not attempt to remove any downed limbs or trees that have come in contact with power lines by yourself. For your safety, call us to report the downed line and wait for a member of our team to respond to the scene.

You can prepare for outages by:

Ensuring you have a supply of fresh water.
Having an ample supply of easy-to-make nonperishable food items on hand.
Charging your cellphone and other electronic devices.
Preparing flashlights and a battery-operated radio in case you must shelter in place until it is safe to travel.
Customers with special medical needs are encouraged to create a plan to follow if power to their home is interrupted for a period of time.
Using a generator safely outdoors away from windows and doors and by following the manufacturer’s guidelines carefully.
Calling 211 to find available emergency services such as a warming shelter in your local area.

In addition to crews in the field, Versant Power will have extra Customer Service Representatives and other support staff ready to help if your power goes out. You can fill out a Power Issue Report Form at versantpower.com or call our Customer Contact Center at 1-855-363-7211 or 207-973-2000. Customers in can also report an outage directly from their Online Services account.

Versant Power is committed to delivering safe, reliable electric service. As the state's second-largest electric utility, the company delivers electricity to more than 160,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers across 10,400 square miles in northern and eastern Maine.