CMP News

Central Maine Power Company, 83 Edison Drive, Augusta, ME 04336 (207) 622-NEWS 

Corporate Communications - corpcomm@cmpco.com 

Release: Immediate - An Energy East Company

Facts about the South Gorham Substation auto-transformer

Auto-transformer shipping weight: 267 tons

Auto-transformer wonce installed, assembled, and filled with oil: 448 tons

Auto-transformer dimensions: 35 feet long, 12 feet wide, approximately 16 feet high

Cost of auto-transformer and overall project: Transformer: $5 million. South Gorham project total cost: $30 million.

Route traveled by rail: Departed Apodaca, Mexico (about 100 miles SW of Laredo, Texas) on Sept. 6. Moved north through Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, crossing into Ontario around Sept. 15. Traveled east through Ontario and Quebec along the northern shores of lakes Erie and Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, through Toronto and Montreal, crossing back into the U.S. north of Island Pond, Vermont on Sept. 22. Crossed through Vermont and New Hampshire into Maine at Gilead, then continued to Auburn, and ultimately, through Portland to Westbrook. Total distance: Approximately 3,000 miles over 20 days.

Rail car facts: Length: 112 feet; Weight: 324 tons; 36-foot depressed deck with 12 axles (six forward, six aft)

Route traveled by transporter: West on Main Street (Route 25), along several side roads, past the Gorham Country Club, to Straw Road in Gorham.  Total distance: 7 miles over four hours.

Transporter facts: Self-powered transporter with 96 tires on 12 axles, six of which can be used for propulsion. Each axle can move independently. Transporter is maneuvered by operator using a control panel with three joysticks and other buttons and switches.

About CMP: Central Maine Power, a subsidiary of Energy East Corporation, operates more than 25,000 miles of power lines and other facilities that deliver electricity to 80 percent of Maine’s population. Web site: www.cmpco.com.

About Energy East: Energy East Corporation is a respected, super-regional energy services and delivery company serving about 3 million customers throughout upstate New York and New England. By providing outstanding customer service and meeting customers’ energy requirements in an environmentally responsible manner, Energy East will continue to be a valuable asset to the communities we serve. The company has since September 2008 been part of the Spain-based Iberdrola Group, the world's fifth largest utility and number one in wind power.

— CMP —