Exhibit (a)(5)(A)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

          GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER BEGINS "DUTCH AUCTION" SELF TENDER OFFER
                     FOR UP TO 800,000 OF ITS COMMON SHARES
                OFFER REPRESENTS 14% OF OUTSTANDING COMMON STOCK

      NEW YORK, October 18, 2002 - GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER CORPORATION (NYSE: GMP)
announced today that it has commenced a "Dutch Auction" self tender offer to
purchase up to 800,000, or 14%, of its common shares (including the associated
common stock purchase rights). Under the terms of the offer, Green Mountain
Power shareholders may offer to sell to Green Mountain Power all or a portion of
the shares they own within a price range of $17.00 to $21.00 per share in cash.
The offer begins today and will expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on
November 19, 2002, unless the offer is extended by Green Mountain Power.

      As of October 17, 2002, Green Mountain Power had 5,728,340 shares of
common stock outstanding. The closing price for Green Mountain Power common
stock on the NYSE on October 17, 2002, the last full trading day on the NYSE
prior to this announcement of the offer, was $16.17.

      The tender offer allows tendering Green Mountain Power shareholders to
specify the price, within the $17.00 - $21.00 price range, at which they are
willing to sell their shares. Once the offer expires, subject to the specific
terms and conditions of the tender offer, Green Mountain Power will examine the
prices chosen by shareholders and will select the lowest purchase price that
will allow it to purchase 800,000 shares, or such lesser number of shares as are
tendered. If the number of shares tendered at or below the selected price and
not withdrawn is not more than 800,000, Green Mountain Power will purchase all
of those tendered shares. If the total number of shares tendered at or below the
selected price and not withdrawn is more than 800,000, Green Mountain Power will
first purchase shares tendered at or below the selected price by odd lot
holders. Green Mountain Power will then purchase, on a pro rata basis, shares
from all other shareholders who tendered shares at or below the selected price.
All purchased shares will receive the same price. Green Mountain Power has
reserved the right to purchase up to an additional 2% of its shares, subject to
applicable law. Green Mountain Power's offer is not conditioned on any minimum
number of shares being tendered. The offer is subject to a number of other terms
and conditions that are specified in the Offer to Purchase being distributed to
shareholders.

      The Information Agent for Green Mountain Power's "Dutch Auction" tender
offer is Mellon Investor Services LLC. Green Mountain Power's Board of Directors
has approved this tender offer. However, neither Green Mountain Power, its Board
of Directors nor the Information Agent is making any recommendation to
shareholders as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering their shares or
as to the price or prices at which they may choose to tender their shares.
Shareholders must make their own decision as to whether to tender their shares
and, if so, how many shares to tender and the price or prices at which such
shares should be tendered. Green Mountain Power's Board of Directors and
executive officers have advised Green Mountain Power that they will not tender
any of their shares in the offer.

      Green Mountain Power is a public utility operating company engaged in
supplying electrical energy in the State of Vermont in a territory with
approximately one quarter of the State's population. Green Mountain Power serves
approximately 87,000 customers.

      This press release is for informational purposes only and is not an offer
to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell any shares of Green Mountain
Power's common stock. The offer is being made solely by the Offer to Purchase.
Investors are urged to read Green Mountain Power's tender offer statement on
Schedule TO being filed today with the SEC in connection with the "Dutch
Auction" self tender offer, which includes as an exhibit the Offer to Purchase,
as well as any amendments or supplements to these statements when they become
available, because they contain important information. Each of these documents
has been or will be filed with the SEC and investors may obtain them for free
from the SEC at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) or from Mellon Investor Services
LLC at 1-800-858-0985.