Utility crews continue to make progress getting power lines up and running in cities and towns across Maine.
The number of Central Maine Power customers without service has dropped from about 200,000 Wednesday afternoon to just under 107,000 by Thursday morning, while Emera Maine is reporting that service has been restored to all but about 25,000 customers, down from about 37,000 customers on Wednesday afternoon.
Many Mainers were taking the third day of the power outages in stride, but for some businesses and college students it has been more of a challenge.
At Kali Mildrum’s large, off-campus apartment complex in Orono, the power has been off since Sunday night. Classes have resumed at the University of Maine in Orono, but the University of Maine at Augusta’s campus in Bangor remained closed for a third day. Many students and their professors from both schools are still in the dark.
A third-year nursing student, Mildrum says it has been hard to communicate about exams and assignments. She’s had a tough time finding internet service near where she lives, she has been taking cold showers by candlelight and she and her roommates were forced to throw out their spoiled food.
“As college students, we’re already on a tight budget, so having to throw a fridge full of food was super wasteful, and now we’re having to go out to eat or just buy whatever food we can, and it’s getting really expensive,” she says.
Mildrum has been told not to expect power to back until Friday. She says she’s looking forward most to order in her life returning.
So is Dan Tremble, owner of Fairmount Market in Bangor. He threw out a whole freezer full of food, and says insurance won’t cover it. He can still make pizzas in his gas oven, but as the power outage at his store continues, Tremble has been making cold-cut sandwiches in the dark and figuring out creative workarounds to keep his customers satisfied.
“We’ve been able to buy stuff daily as we need it, vegetables and meats and slice ‘em. Friend of mine’s got a store on the other side of town, so we slice the meats over there, made coffee and brought it over. I mean everybody working has got no power at their house, so everybody’s in the same boat,” he says.
Less than two miles away, Doreen Kenney is the front desk manager at the Holiday Inn on Odlin Road, where she says her business has been completely disrupted. Power was restored to a portion of the hotel Tuesday night, but most of the rooms are still without service.
“We are trying to cancel everyone and we are closed to arrivals. Obviously, I have a handful that are from out of state, flew in, had no choice. They understand that I was able to check them in, but I have no hot water,” she says.
During times like these, water becomes a more precious commodity than ever, especially hot water to make coffee, wash dishes or, says Josh Walker of Poland, to “take an hour-long hot shower.”
Walker has a woodstove at home, so he’s able to stay warm, and he’s got power at the New Gloucester Village Store where he works as a breakfast cook. Plus, he says, he’s a patient man. He knows that utility crews are working as fast as they can.
“I know they have a lot of work ahead of them,” he says. “I can take it. I remember the 1998 ice storm. It’s kind of similar to that. At least it isn’t as cold.”
It may not be as cold, but it is forcing some school closures this week. The Maine Department of Education isn’t giving schools any special break. They’ll still need to provide 175 instructional days for the school year.
In fact, there are no special breaks when it comes to who gets their power back on first. Not even for the president and CEO of CMP.
“I’m proud to tell you I don’t have power,” said Sara Burns with a laugh. “And I don’t have a generator.”
During a briefing with Gov. Paul LePage, Burns said she’s grateful to all the hard work of Maine utility crews and the hundreds of line crews from away that are in the state this week to help with restoration. It’s expected to be finished by Saturday night for almost everyone — and that’s just fine with Michael Hayes of Pownal.
Hayes says he and his wife frequently lose power, and they know just what to do.
“Play some cards. Sit by the fire. Little time to unplug. You know, putting it in perspective, compared to what the people in Puerto Rico are going through? You know, this is minor,” he says.
And just a little while ago power was restored to that large apartment complex where Mildrum lives. So, life is getting back to normal one neighborhood at a time.
Maine Public news staff contributed to this report.