Last Structure Set on CMP's Maine Power Reliability Program
CMP News
Central Maine Power Company, 83 Edison Drive, Augusta, ME 04336 (207) 622-NEWS
Corporate Communications - corpcomm@cmpco.com
Release: Immediate
March 23, 2015
New Milestone Reached on CMP's Maine Power Reliability Program
After five years of construction, last new transmission structure set
AUGUSTA, Maine Contractors working for Central Maine Power Co., a subsidiary of Iberdrola USA, set the last new transmission structure on the Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) today in Windsor, Maine.
Since the first structure was set in the fall of 2010, more than 5,000 structures have been installed between Orrington and Eliot. Crews have also built six new substations and completed major upgrades to seven others since construction started.
Irby Construction set the last pole, a 101-foot, 345 kV H-frame structure.
This is a special moment for everybody involved, said Sara Burns, president and CEO of CMP.
"I'm grateful to all of our employees and contractors who have worked for years to build a stronger, smarter grid for Maine. Thousands of workers and hundreds of Maine businesses have had a hand in this project over the past five years, and now we are in the homestretch. Their legacy will serve the region for generations."
The MPRP will ensure the long-term reliability of CMP's bulk power system. The project includes the construction of five new 345kV substations, one new 115kV substation, and related facilities linked by approximately 440 miles of new transmission lines. The new facilities will reinforce the backbone of the company 40-year-old bulk power system and improve reliability.
The MPRP is the largest construction project ever undertaken in Maine. The project employed more than 2,700 people at the peak of construction, and a 2009 economic impact study projected that the MPRP would create as many as 900 more jobs through indirect and induced employment.
"This is a huge milestone for all of us who have worked on the program, "said Doug Herling, vice president of Special Projects for Central Maine Power. "Many dedicated employees from CMP and our contractors worked for years to make this happen. We thank them for all of their efforts."
In addition to Irby, major contractors that worked on the MPRP include program manager Burns & McDonnell, Asplundh, Bancroft Construction, Cianbro, CPM Constructors, E. S Boulos, Grondin, MYR Group, Power Engineers, Sargent Corporation, TRC and Willbros.
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Click here to view a video of the final structure installation.
For higher resolution versions of the following photos, please e-mail gail.rice@cmpco.com.
Media Contact:
Gail Rice
207.622.NEWS
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About Central Maine Power Company (CMP): Central Maine Power Company, a subsidiary of Iberdrola USA, is Maine's largest electricity transmission and distribution utility. The company delivers about 9 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually to more than 600,000 homes and businesses, representing about 80% of Maine's annual consumer sales of electricity. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked the company #1 in customer satisfaction seven times. For more information, visit www.cmpco.com.
About Iberdrola USA: Iberdrola USA is the U.S. subsidiary of global energy leader Iberdrola, S.A. The Iberdrola USA companies employ about 5,000 people with operations in 24 states from New England to the West Coast, providing electricity generation, transmission and distribution, natural gas storage and distribution, and energy services. For more information, please visit our website: www.iberdrolausa.com. Follow us on Twitter: @IberdrolaUSA