CMP Upgrades to Union Street Substation Will Enhance Service in Downtown Portland
CMP News
Central Maine Power Company, 83 Edison Drive, Augusta, ME 04336 (207) 622-NEWS
Corporate Communications - corpcomm@cmpco.com
Release: Immediate
Media Contact: Gail Rice (207) 622 NEWS
CMP Upgrades to Union Street Substation Will Enhance Service in Downtown Portland
AUGUSTA, Maine, June 6, 2014 " Central Maine Power Co., a subsidiary of Iberdrola USA, has completed a $12.6 million upgrade to the utility's Union Street Substation, which serves portions of downtown Portland, the Old Port, and the city's East End.
"These upgrades will ensure reliability for area homes and businesses well into the future," says CMP spokesperson Gail Rice. "Additionally, we now have state-of-the-art technology that will enable us to operate and maintain the facility with maximum efficiency."
The Union Street Substation feeds power to a broad range of business and municipal customers, educational institutions, and tourist attractions. They include numerous banks and other financial institutions; several large hotels; a ferry terminal; the city's wastewater treatment facility; Portland City Hall and Merrill Auditorium; the Portland Public Library; and numerous marine facilities, restaurants, and retail shops. It also serves the city's Munjoy Hill neighborhood and the East End Community School.
The upgraded substation includes new gas-insulated switchgear, which has a smaller footprint, is more resistant to weather, and requires less maintenance than traditional equipment. CMP also installed a new power transformer, modified the existing power transformers, upgraded electrical system controls and protection, and improved the underground power distribution network that serves the downtown area and the Old Port.
"We made the substation much smarter too," says Rice. "By adding new hardware and software, we were able to bring this facility up to 21st century standards without the disruption of building a new station. Our municipal, business, and residential customers will be well served by these upgrades."
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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. The company has been ranked #1 in customer satisfaction six times by J.D. Power and Associates. 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
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