CMP Improving Power Reliability in Central Maine
AUGUSTA—November 14, 2022 – Central Maine Power (CMP) is improving power reliability in Central Maine through several projects underway or recently completed. With local investments in system upgrades, including new transmission structures, covered wire and more durable poles, CMP is enhancing the resiliency and reliability of the grid to prevent outages and to reduce the numbers of customers impacted by each outage.
“CMP works all year round in the planning and construction phases of grid reliability projects across our service area so that our customers experience more reliable service,” said Joseph Purington, CMP President and CEO. “We have several projects underway in Central Maine that will make our system more resilient to the more frequent and intense storms Maine is seeing as a result of climate change.”
Gulf / Sheep Island
CMP recently replaced two aging transmission structures on Gulf Island (also known as Sheep Island) in the Androscoggin River between Lewiston and Auburn. CMP construction partners Coutts Brothers, BluRoc, and Wyman & Simpson worked from a barge staged in the river to replace the structures with as little disruption to the island as possible. The work took about two weeks to complete. CMP partnered with Brookfield to access the river from its property and to coordinate the project with its operations schedule.
Leeds, Livermore Falls, Greene, and Lewiston
CMP is replacing aging structures on part of the transmission system known as section 200 which runs through Leeds, Livermore and Turner. The company is doing similar work and nearing completion on another section of transmission near Lewiston. Unlike distribution lines, which run along roadsides, transmission lines carry power from where it is generated to local substations. At the substations the power is stepped down for delivery to customers through the distribution lines.
The New England regional transmission system is overseen by the nonprofit system operator ISO-New England but local utilities like CMP often have a role in maintenance and upgrades when warranted.
Across the 11,000 square mile Maine service area, CMP is also systematically installing automation onto the system that will reduce the numbers of customers impacted by an outage, improving service for all customers.
“It is critical that these upgrades continue to be made across the grid to improve service and to prevent the deterioration that can come with time and Maine weather,” Purington said.
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About CMP: Central Maine Power Company (CMP), a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc., is Maine’s largest electricity transmission and distribution utility. Established in 1899 and based in Augusta, Maine, CMP serves approximately 646,000 customers across 346 communities in central and southern Maine. It operates approximately 23,500 miles of distribution lines and 2,900 miles of transmission lines. Over the last decade, the company has invested approximately $3.5 billion in Maine system infrastructure.
About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $40 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021 and 2022 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2022, AVANGRID ranked second within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2022 for the fourth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.
Media Contact:
Catharine Hartnett
Catharine.Hartnett@avangrid.com
207.458.3510