HARRISON — A contractor for Central Maine Power was transported to a hospital after experiencing a shock while working on a high-voltage line Wednesday morning. 

The man was suspended aloft installing a static line at the top of a utility pole around 9:30 a.m. when he made contact with a grounded line and “felt a sensation,” according to Gail Rice, a spokesperson for Iberdrola USA, CMP’s parent company. 

“He made it to the ground safely, was alert, responsive and walking shortly after the incident,” Rice said. 

Authorities did not immediately release the man’s name. The incident was initially described to dispatchers as an “electrocution” but was later confirmed not to have been life-threatening. It happened at the Kimball Road substation, a dirt road off Temple Hill Road. 

Rice said the man was not seriously injured but was transported to a hospital as a precaution. She said CMP will work with the company to investigate the incident. 

Bruce Knowlton, a site superintendent for Elecnor Hawkeye LLC, said the man was part of a larger project upgrading the grid’s infrastructure in the area.  Knowlton said there was some sort of induction into the line the man was working on, which redirects excess voltage from damaging the rest of the grid. 

The Harrison Fire Department and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene. 

ccrosby@sunmediagroup.net 


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

filed under: