By J.W. Oliver
Central Maine Power Company plans to build a new, improved substation in Bristol across Bristol Road from its existing facility.
Central Maine Power Company plans to build a new, improved substation in Bristol across Bristol Road from its existing facility. (J.W. Oliver photo) |
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The $2.7 million project will improve reliability and add capacity to handle the growing needs of the area, according to CMP spokeswoman Gail Rice.
The project schedule calls for construction to start in October, Rice said. The utility plans to complete construction in March 2015.
The existing substation and the construction site are on opposite sides of Bristol Road south of Kelly Street and north of Carl Bailey Road. The utility has an option to purchase the 1.21-acre construction site, currently a vacant lot, from Edward Benner.
CMP will demolish the existing substation and restore the property to its original condition, according to engineer Steve Roberge of SJR Engineering Inc., a contractor on the project.
A chain-link fence will enclose the 12,502-square-foot substation yard. The equipment in the substation will stand up to 35 feet high. The project includes a 12-by-32 control house.
The Bristol Board of Selectmen, at its Jan. 29 meeting, voted 3-0 to approve the building permit upon the transfer of the property.
Chairman Bill Benner and others at the meeting asked CMP representatives to landscape around the perimeter of the new substation to lessen its visual impact.
Project Manager David Libby agreed to bring the requests to the utility and return for another meeting with the selectmen.
Recent activity around the construction site has sparked speculation that CMP is going to build the new substation to accommodate the Maine Aqua Ventus I offshore-wind project.
The substation project is “completely independent” of the offshore-wind project, Roberge said. The planning of the project started “at least two years ago,” he said.
“The purpose of the project is to improve the reliability of the … electrical distribution system in the Bristol area,” according to a Jan. 13 letter from Roberge to Bristol Code Enforcement Officer Susan Metzger and Bristol Planning Board Chairwoman Andrea Cox.
“We’re rebuilding it to resolve some overloading of the existing transformer,” Rice, the CMP spokeswoman, said. The new facility will have a larger transformer and another distribution circuit, as well as updated protection and control technology.
