CMP transmission project sparks debate over community impact in Falmouth
FALMOUTH (WGME) -- Central Maine Power says a major upgrade project aimed at improving reliability and meeting growing electricity demand could benefit about 200,000 CMP customers in and beyond Greater Portland, and all Mainers who rely on businesses and services in southern Maine.
Falmouth school officials and some residents say the proposed work could put the school campus, student safety and community at risk.
CMP’s upgrade project involves replacing and building new power lines and substations. CMP officials say the goal is to improve reliability, provide back-up power, replace aging equipment and meet increasing electricity demand.
In response, Falmouth Schools Superintendent Steve Nolan and Falmouth School Board Chair Alicia Johnson sent a letter to the Maine Public Utilities Commission expressing concern. Part of the letter says, “The project, as proposed, places an unacceptable burden on our school community, threatens the use and integrity of our campus and compromises our ability to plan responsibly for our students' future educational needs, as well as their health and safety.” It also says, “The scale and scope of CMP's proposed construction activities and permanent infrastructure changes near our property will negatively affect students and staff across the entire district, while also creating challenges for current and future school development and facilities planning.”
CMP says it is working with the Falmouth School Board to try to find a resolution.
“We are looking at ways to potentially avoid impacts to the school, different options that could be around that parcel,” Chris Morin of Central Maine Power said.
According to CMP, Phase 1 of the project would include upgrading two substations in Cumberland and East Deering, rebuilding transmission lines in Westbrook and between Cumberland and Falmouth, installing a new transmission line from Cumberland to Portland and building a new substation near Portland’s wastewater facility.
Some residents say they are concerned about how the project could affect their property and health. Megan Cascio, who has lived in Falmouth for seven years, says CMP plans to install a new transmission line that would go through her backyard.
“In addition to decreasing the property value and destroying the structures here on property, we also had concerns about medical concerns with increase of low frequency electromagnetic radiation and the health concerns that come along with that," Cascio said. “It would interfere a big way in the yard.”
Cascio says children often use this area behind her home to play.
“All the neighborhood kids play here in the yard and in the woods out back every season, and it's been great, and we are really worried about that going away,” Cascio said.
The project still needs to be approved.
In the meantime, CMP is hosting open houses in the Greater Portland Area for residents to ask questions.