CMP Highlights Critical Substation Investments Supporting Reliability and Growth
Modern substation upgrades strengthen reliability, support community growth, and help the grid withstand increasingly severe weather.
Augusta, ME – October 21, 2026 –Central Maine Power (CMP), a subsidiary of Avangrid Inc., is highlighting how investments in stronger, smarter substations are helping prepare Maine's electric grid for increasingly extreme weather while ensuring communities have the capacity to support future growth.
"As Maine's energy needs grow and the grid continues to modernize, it's critical that our infrastructure evolves with it," said Linda Ball, President and CEO of CMP. "Modern substations with larger transformers, advanced controls, and smart-grid technology increase reliability today while providing the capacity Maine will need tomorrow. These investments help us reduce outage risks, respond more effectively to severe weather, and ensure we can continue supporting new homes, businesses, and a growing economy."
As storms become more frequent and severe and electricity demand continues to grow, substations play an increasingly important role in delivering reliable power to customers. By replacing aging equipment with larger transformers, modern control systems, enclosed structures, backup power capabilities, and advanced communications technology, CMP is strengthening the grid's ability to serve customers during severe weather while supporting future residential, commercial, and economic development.
A substation is a critical piece of grid infrastructure, similar to a major intersection for electricity, helping manage and route power safely and reliably to the homes, businesses, schools, and communities that depend on it every day. Substations also contain transformers that convert electricity to the voltage levels needed to safely power homes and businesses while providing the capacity required to serve growing communities.
The Dunstan Substation in Scarborough, which serves approximately 4,200 customers, reflects CMP's modern standard for substation construction. Completed in 2021, the facility was designed to improve reliability while creating capacity for the future. The upgraded substation includes larger transformers capable of supporting continued growth in the region, enclosed infrastructure that helps protect critical equipment from severe weather, and advanced smart-grid technology that allows operators to monitor and manage the system more efficiently. Automated devices can be operated remotely, helping reduce outage impacts and restore service more quickly when interruptions occur.
Similar investments across CMP's service territory are helping ensure Maine communities have the electric infrastructure needed to support economic development, electrification, and population growth while maintaining reliable service.
Many portions of Maine's electric system were built decades ago using equipment that is approaching the end of its operational life. In some locations, such as the Factory Island Substation in Saco, infrastructure dates back to the 1940s and includes components that have served customers for more than 55 years. As Maine experiences stronger storms and communities rely on electricity for more aspects of daily life, modernizing these facilities becomes increasingly important.
These investments are part of CMP's broader effort to strengthen the electric grid across its 11,000-square-mile service territory. From stronger transmission lines and upgraded substations to smart-grid technologies and system automation, the company continues to modernize critical infrastructure to better serve customers and communities across Maine for generations to come.
News media can download rights-free video of substation infrastructure here.