Maine Public Service and Central Maine Power to Invest up to $500 Million in Northern Maine
02 July 2008 - 4:00AM
Marketwired
AUGUSTA, ME (MPS), and Sara Burns, President of Central Maine
Power Company (CMP), today announced plans to construct a 345
kilovolt (345 kV) transmission line from central Maine to Northern
Aroostook County.
The Maine Power Connection (MPC), a joint project of MPS and
CMP, will connect Northern Maine to the CMP and New England
electric grid to provide MPS customers with access to competitive
electric power markets and to support the development of proposed
wind generation projects in Aroostook County. Presently, MPS does
not have a connection to the New England grid or adequate capacity
to handle burgeoning requests for transmission connections from
wind developers.
Brent Boyles said, "We plan to invest between $400 and $500
million to build a 200 mile 345 kV transmission line and related
substations from the Detroit area to Northern Aroostook County. The
Maine Power Connection will enable the development of wind
generation projects estimated at $1.6 billion, providing tremendous
economic and environmental benefits to Northern Maine and the
entire region."
"We are excited to be working with Maine Public Service on such
an important project," said Sara Burns. "Creating access to
renewable resources is critical to gaining control of our
electricity costs here in Maine, and it's essential to reaching our
environmental goals. Through this partnership, northern Maine can
be a leader in those efforts, while expanding their local
employment and tax base."
Boyles described important public benefits of the Maine Power
Connection, including:
-- Provides competitive regional electricity costs for customers in
northern Maine;
-- Enhances market access for renewable energy sources, enabling 800 MW
of wind development;
-- Improves system reliability for northern Maine, Maine and New England;
-- Reduces carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants;
-- Reduces dependency on fossil fuels and foreign oil;
-- Adds $25 to $30 million annually to local property tax revenues;
-- Creates green jobs and stimulates new R&D initiatives in Aroostook
County.
The companies plan to file the project this week with the Maine
Public Utilities Commission.
More information is available on the Maine Power Connection
website at www.mainepowerconnection.com
Contacts: Virginia Joles (MPS): 207-760-2418
John Carroll (CMP): 207-629-1023
Larry Benoit (BSGS): 207-774-1200
About Maine Public Service Company:
Maine Public Service Company, a subsidiary of Maine &
Maritimes Corporation (AMEX: MAM) is a regulated electric
transmission and distribution utility serving approximately 36,000
electricity customer accounts in northern Maine. MAM is also the
parent company of MAM Utility Services Group, an unregulated
wholly-owned US subsidiary which focuses on such areas as
transmission infrastructure to support wind generation, utility
asset maintenance contracts, and other utility-related services.
Corporate headquarters are located in Presque Isle, Maine, and the
corporate website is www.maineandmaritimes.com.
About Central Maine Power Company:
Central Maine Power, a subsidiary of Energy East Corporation
(NYSE: EAS), a regulated electric transmission and distribution
utility, operates more than 25,000 miles of power lines and other
facilities that deliver electricity to 600,000 electricity
customers in Maine. The corporate website is: www.cmpco.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information:
Except for historical information, all other information
provided in this news release consists of "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1935. Although Maine & Maritimes Corporation
believes that such statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
any such statements involve uncertainties and risks that may cause
actual results to differ materially from those projected,
anticipated, or implied. MAM cautions that there are certain
factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from
forward-looking information that has been provided, including,
without limitation, potential changes in applicable laws and
regulations, potential changes in Management, its ability to raise
necessary operating and growth capital, increased interest costs,
its ability to execute its business plans in a timely and efficient
manner, the loss of customers and other factors that are more
detailed in MAM's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
MAM-G = General Releases
For More Information Contact: Virginia R. Joles Director of
Communications Board Relations and Economic Development Tel:
207.760.2418 www.maineandmaritimes.com
http://www.maineandmaritimes.com
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