By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

Central Maine Power last month began the process of gaining approval from the Public Utilities Commission for a proposed $1.35 billion project to upgrade an aging infrastructure throughout Maine, prompting Saco to file for intervener status and submission of legislation by a state representative. A section of the project travels through Scarborough.

CMP filed a petition July 1 with the Maine Public Utilities Commission seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to build about 350 miles of transmission lines and associated infrastructures in Maine. Because it will construct eight miles of the project in southern Maine, the Public Service Company of New Hampshire joined CMP’s petition. The proposed route includes 83 municipalities statewide.

The Maine Power Reliability Program is slated to construct transmission lines from central to southern Maine to improve the reliability of CMP’s electrical system and its connection to the New England regional grid system, according to a letter sent by CMP to municipal officers. 

“Fundamentally, it’s about upgrading a system to make sure it’s reliable,” CMP Public Affairs Manager John Carroll said. 

In Saco, the Maine Power Reliability Program involves an existing transmission line corridor beginning near Wedgewood Drive and continuing south across McKenney Road, Route 112, Simpson Road, Louden Road, Smutty Lane and Boom Road, according to information posted on the city’s Web site. 

CMP’s goal is to have project approval from the Public Utilities Commission by summer 2009 and complete the local permitting process by fall 2009. Carroll said the company would like to begin construction in 2010 and complete it by 2012.

“We recognize that a project like this will raise concerns to many people, but we expect many people will support it,” Carroll said. “People do value and want a reliable electrical grid.”

The city of Saco filed a Petition to Intervene with the Maine Public Utilities Commission on July 24 because the project affects the city and its residents.

“Intervener status is just to keep the mail coming essentially at this point,” Saco Development Director Peter Morelli said. “We don’t have a particular position, we just want to have the ability to be part of the process should we need to be.”

Rep. Linda Valentino (D-Saco) announced Monday she submitted legislation restricting the placement of high-voltage power lines near locations frequented by children. Along with Sen. Barry Hobbins (D-Saco), she sponsored similar legislation — An Act to Require Transmission Lines To Be Placed Underground Near Certain Facilities — during the last legislative session. Valentino resubmitted the bill after hearing of the proposed CMP project. 

“I want to ensure that we protect our children during this power grid expansion,” Valentino said in a  press release. “Unfortunately, the bill Sen. Hobbins and I sponsored last year received little public attention. I am hopeful that will change during the next session and that residents will participate in the public hearings and work sessions on this bill.”

The Maine Power Reliability Program is the result of a comprehensive study and analysis of the needs of the current transmission infrastructure, according to a July 3 Notice of Proceeding, a document providing background information filed with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Without the project, CMP said the grid will not meet federally mandated reliability standards. 

The $1.35 billion project will require building seven new sections of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines and eight new sections of 115 kV lines; the rebuilding of 20 sections of 115 kV lines and two sections of 345 kV lines; and re-rating of seven sections of 115 kV lines.

Section 3021 of the proposed line travels through Gorham, Scarborough, Saco, Biddeford, Arundel and Kennebunk. Section 3022 would also travel through Kennebunk, according to the Notice of Proceeding. Additionally, in existing section 250, 115 kV transmission line will be moved and rebuilt within the corridor to support sections 3021 and 3022. Section 250 travels through Gorham, Scarborough, Saco, Biddeford, Arundel and Kennebunk.

Carroll said the project would take place almost exclusively in existing corridors. The proposed transmission corridors are about 350 miles long and cleared to a width of 170 to 500 feet. According to the Notice of Proceeding, seven miles of new corridor and 580 parcels of land will need to be acquired from abutters in 23 towns.