Section 80 Rebuild

Section 80 Rebuild

Project Overview

As communities grow and the need for electricity increases, Central Maine Power Company (CMP) responds by investing in system upgrades to meet the demands. Beginning in Summer 2023, CMP will be upgrading its Section 80 115kV transmission line to provide safe and reliable service to our customers in Mid-Coast Maine and consumers in New England.

This nearly 22-mile transmission line travels between Coopers Mills Substation in Windsor through Jefferson, Washington, Waldoboro, and Warren to Highland Substation. It’s referred to as a Pool Transmission Facility, which means it’s a high voltage transmission line that serves as a major component of the New England electric system. The section upgrade costs will be shared among New England customers, with more than 90 percent paid by other states.

In Maine, CMP is working with communities and reaching out to neighbors along the line to ensure that our construction activity is performed safely and with minimal disruption to their daily lives, neighborhoods, the environment, and wildlife.

Project Need

The Section 80 existing line is a H-frame wooden structure configuration with conductor that is outmoded and becomes thermally overloaded under certain conditions.

In 2019, the Independent System Operator of New England (ISO-NE) identified this line as needing significant reliability improvements to mitigate capacity concerns, plus to meet current North America Electric Reliability Commission (NERC) standards. ISO-NE is responsible for regional transmission planning and ensuring that regional transmission systems can reliably deliver power to consumers under a wide range of system conditions.

In June 2022, The Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) approved CMP’s application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), which demonstrated the public need to rebuild the existing 115kV transmission line to address reliability needs in the Mid-Coast area.

Project Scope

In June 2023, CMP will begin placing timber ground mats in our right-of-way (ROW) especially in environmentally sensitive areas, that can safely disburse the weight of construction vehicles and not disrupt the land below them. The work will begin in Windsor enroute to Warren.

New, taller weathered-brown light-duty steel (single) monopoles and 1192 ACSR conductor will be installed at an offset to the south of the existing line and, in most cases, closer to trees. By offsetting the new line from the existing one, we do not need to take a prolonged outage of the existing energized line to do our work. Once the new line is energized, the existing line will be removed, and the area will be restored.

All construction will take place inside our 150-foot ROW. Because the new line will be closer to our ROW boundaries, trees and vegetation removal or trimming will occur within the 150-foot area to reduce the possibility of storm-related damages or outages. We may need to talk to landowners about trees outside the ROW that could pose a danger to the line.

The project is expected to be completed in 2024. Final cleanup and punch-list activities may occur in 2025.

Access and Roadways

Due to some wetlands and our need to avoid them, plus other restraints, CMP land agents from our Energy Land Management department will reach out to adjacent landowners to get permission to use their driveways or roads to access our ROW. Other than those points, our crews will be entering our right-of-way from main roads or previously established access points. We only will be working in our right of way.

Road traffic may be down to one lane at times. Safety is our priority. Please be mindful of flaggers as they work to provide you and our crews with safe clearances.

Permits

The Section 80 Rebuild Project was designed to avoid or minimize natural resource impacts to wetlands at the extent practicable, including all equipment access ways. CMP has applied for all required federal, state, and municipal permits and anticipates receiving all approvals in Spring 2023.

Osprey

CMP understands that people like to watch ospreys and wildlife near their homes and come to appreciate the benefits of having wildlife around them. Osprey nests on transmission lines, however, pose a risk to the safety and reliability of our transmission system. When we are planning to rebuild a transmission line, we want to be proactive as possible and try to identify and avoid negative outcomes and wildlife interactions that may arise from ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the electrical system.

In early 2023, CMP relocated several nests from existing transmission structures to platform poles near those structures but at the ROW boundaries, away from where the new line will be built. Osprey moved to the new platforms, and in Summer 2023 we saw offspring!

For more information, please see the Osprey FAQs on our website – CMPS80rebuild.com.

Work Hours and Noise

Work activity periods will comply with town ordinances. Typical construction noise will occur. Abutters may hear heavy equipment (bucket trucks, cranes, and excavators) during construction activities.

Project Facts

View the Section 80 Rebuild project fact sheet.

Municipalities

  • Windsor, Washington, Jefferson, Waldoboro, and Warren

Counties

  • Kennebec, Knox, and Lincoln counties

Permitting Required

  • Maine Public Utilities Commission: Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity; Non-Wire Alternatives review.
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Maine General Permit through the Pre-Construction Notification review process.
  • Maine Department of Environmental Protection: Natural Resource Protection Act Tier 2 Permit.
  • Town of Windsor: Shoreland Zoning and Floodplain Management permits.
  • Town of Jefferson: Shoreland Zoning permit.
  • Town of Washington: Site Plan Permit.
  • Town of Waldoboro: Shoreland Zoning and Floodplain Management permits.
  • Town of Warren: Shoreland Zoning and Flood Hazard Development permits.

Estimated Timetable

  • Construction: Underway beginning Summer 2023
  • Estimated Completion: End of 2024

Benefits to Customers

  • The line upgrades will improve system reliability and resiliency to ensure that safe and reliable transmission of power is maintained.
  • Increased capacity will help meet the electricity needs of customers in the Mid-Coast area and the New England region.

Contact

Nodo: liferay-3:8080