WILTON — Central Maine Power Co. plans to build a substation on Main Street to replace one on Temple Road that does not meet company standards, a representative told residents Tuesday.
Darrel Speed, CMP project manager, said the Temple Road substation is at the end of its useful life. The old wooden structure is starting to fail and there’s no room for expansion, he said.
CMP purchased five acres at 1228 Main St. from Philip and Kimberly Hilton this past spring in hopes of building a substation there. It would be one of the smallest in the CMP grid, while ensuring reliable electric service, adding to the town’s tax base and meeting future residential and business growth, Speed said. There will not be high-voltage lines, he said.
Although he emphasized it is very early in the process, the company expects to go through the engineering and permitting process through most of 2017, with roughly eight months of construction to start in late 2017 and substation operation beginning in mid-2018.
Some neighbors to the proposed site were concerned about health issues from exposure to electric and magnetic fields, and potential devaluation of their property.
The Board of Selectmen limited comments because it was an informational meeting, not a public hearing. CMP must get permission from the Planning Board, which will hold public hearings, Chairman Tiffany Maiuri said.
Gail Rice, CMP media representative, attended Tuesday to answer questions.
In other business, fewer than 20 voters at a special town meeting approved amending the town’s two Tax Increment Financing districts. The amendments standardize how the town spend funds from the districts, John Holden, TIF consultant, said. It makes the process more effective and efficient.
The amendments give elected officials sole discretion on use of the funds and priority for TIF projects. The potential uses are spelled out within the development program for each district. Any use of TIF funds to pay off debt or borrowing would still come to voters at a town meeting.
The town has been conservative in using the funds, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said. A total of $30,000 was applied to the Fire Department loan. The account has $262,000, she said.
abryant@sunmediagroup.net
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