LEWISTON – Financial plans for a south Lewiston electrical substation will wait for another couple of weeks, at least.

Central Maine Power is asking for the city’s financial assistance to build an electrical substation near Plourde Parkway and Challenger Drive.

It would provide better and more reliable electrical service to the southern part of the city, especially the planned Wal-Mart Distribution Center and proposed business parks, according to Assistant City Administrator Greg Mitchell.

Councilors were scheduled to vote on a Tax Increment Financing package to help build the substation, but Mitchell said the city and the power company were still negotiating the package.

“One of the realities of deregulation is that companies need a little financial help to do something like this,” Mitchell said.

“Because this is a TIF, we had to post notice of the meeting two weeks ago and we hoped to be ready for tonight. We just couldn’t finalize the negotiations,” he said.

staylor@sunjournal.com