The state is spending $6.6 million from Washington to strengthen independently operated electric grids that, along with Maine’s two dominant utilities, face increasing threats from destructive storms.
Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative, the Fox Islands Electric Cooperative at Vinalhaven and North Haven, Van Buren Light and Power, and three power projects will benefit from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. When combined with matching funds provided by the recipients, more than $11 million will improve the resiliency of Maine’s electrical infrastructure, Gov. Janet Mills said Tuesday.
“We know that bad storms, like those we experienced last winter, are only going to become more frequent and more severe because of climate change, likely increasing the number and duration of power outages, unless we act now,” she said.
Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative will upgrade its distribution system in the Calais area by replacing 10.6 miles of older distribution lines, adding and replacing transformers, and replacing poles and cross arms.
Fox Islands Electric Cooperative will upgrade and relocate a submarine electrical cable that serves the island community of North Haven.
Van Buren Light and Power will replace poles, distribution lines and switching equipment, and train apprentice line workers.
The Madison Extreme Weather Resilience project in the Madison area will upgrade power lines, expand vegetation maintenance and deploy advanced monitoring devices to decrease outages, particularly those resulting from flooding.
In a partnership with the Penobscot Nation, Sunnova will deploy distribution infrastructure and controls on Indian Island to connect two community facilities to a solar photovoltaic and battery storage system, establishing a community microgrid to reduce the impact of power outages.
The Central Maine Power Shaw Mill project will install upgraded grid measures and switching devices to improve reliability in Baldwin, Sebago and Standish, where numerous outages have affected nearly 36,000 customers over the past three years.
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