Central Maine Power Company (CMP), a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), delivers electricity to more than 600,000 customers in central and southern Maine each year and supports the community in many ways.

CMP has partnered with United Way of Kennebec Valley (UWKV) for decades. Through a corporate gift and employee donations, the company has pledged to contribute a total of $36,024 in 2017. This contribution establishes CMP as one of United Way’s 12 Cornerstone Partners, which collectively make up more than 45 percent of UWKV’s annual campaign.

“CMP’s commitment to the communities we serve goes well beyond providing safe, reliable power delivery,” said Sara J. Burns, CMP President and CEO. “Our support of United Way programs helps to expand opportunities for people in our area, creating lasting change that leads to a more prosperous community.”

CMP began in 1899 when the founding partners, attorney Harvey Eaton and engineer Walter Wyman, bought a hydroelectric generator to provide street lighting and service to about 100 customers in the village of Oakland, Maine. They soon developed new hydro sites, expanding their service area through interconnection and acquisitions, and lowering prices as unit costs fell.

Today CMP is responsible for operating and maintaining the transmission-and-distribution system, including service connections, outage restoration, and system improvements and upgrades as required. CMP's existing 11,000-square-mile service area contains about 78 percent of Maine's population and major commercial and manufacturing centers. CMP and AVANGRID employ nearly 1,300 people in central and southern Maine, including regional service centers, garages, offices and other property.

Beyond contributing to United Way’s annual campaign, CMP hosts the United Way’s Food Pantry Project, for which employees generously collect non-perishable items to donate to local food banks. Several CMP employees have also served on United Way’s Board of Directors and various committees.

In addition to United Way, CMP and AVANGRID support many other community needs through corporate sponsorship and community service programs. The companies host an annual mitten drive, donate books to local libraries, provide scholarships to students enrolled in engineering and technology programs at the University of Maine and Kennebec Valley Community College, and make donations to other programs that benefit the neighborhoods in which staff live and work.

For more information about CMP and AVANGRID, visit cmpco.com and avangrid.com. To learn more about becoming a corporate partner with United Way, visit uwkv.org or call 207-626-3400.