Central Maine Power may defer ongoing work on a substation in Bridgton if a proposed $70 million temporary rate hike is not approved.
According to a CMP spokesperson, the substation, which serves 1,900 customers in the Bridgton area, is currently in the middle of an upgrade. The substation has structures with rotting poles, with work being done on the poles following temporary actions to shore up the structures. Design and permitting work for the project is complete.
If the rate hike is not approved, work on the substation could be deferred.
This comes as the Maine Public Utilities staff recommended against approving the request on Sept. 26, which would add about $7 per month to the average household bill.
The increase was requested in April to soften the “significant financial distress” hitting the utility, which saw its financial outlook downgraded this summer to “negative” under a $100 million cash flow deficit.
This is not the first infrastructure project CMP has delayed amid the dispute over the rate increase. Work on the Baldwin Resiliency Project, a large-scale plan to upgrade the power grid in Baldwin, Sebago and Steep Falls, was delayed until certainty around the funding could be established.
Bridgton Town Manager Donald Kasprzak said Bridgton was aware of the substation that would be affected should CMP choose to delay work. Kasprzak said the town would “certainly like” to see the substation upgrade move forward, but the town’s priority was stabilizing CMP rates for residents and business owners.
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Tagged: CMP, CMP project, electric utility
Rory, an experienced reporter from western Massachusetts, joined the Maine Trust for Local News in October 2024. He is a community reporter for Windham, Raymond, Casco, Bridgton, Naples, Standish, Gray,…
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