Iberdrola Chairman Visits Maine to Review Progress on Transmission System Upgrade

ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, Iberdrola Chairman Ignacio Galan visited the site of a new substation in Lewiston, Maine to review progress on the company's $1.4 billion Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP). Central Maine Power Company (CMP), the local subsidiary of Iberdrola USA, will install a 345,000 volt autotransformer at the site later this month. Iberdrola's investment in Maine's bulk power system will double CMP's high voltage substation capacity and increase transmission capacity for the integration of new generation in the New England region. The 5-year construction plan is considered the largest construction project in Maine history.

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"The Maine Power Reliability Program reflects our commitment to investing in the U.S.," said Galan. "It has created thousands of jobs in Maine, already, and we are building a stronger, smarter grid that will benefit all of the New England states. The MPRP is one of the Iberdrola Group's most important infrastructure projects, and one that will substantially improve reliability and quality of service for our customers in this region."

The $58 million Lewiston substation autotransformer, which weighs one million pounds, will step down 345,000 volt current to feed the 115,000 volt transmission network that supplies power to the central Maine region. The transformer is expected to reach the Port of Portland via ship in mid-May and will be moved by rail to the Lewiston site soon after. Work is also underway to build approximately 440 miles of transmission lines linking new autotransformers at three other sites, plus related improvements at more than three dozen other substations in CMP's system.

Chairman Galan also participated in the MPRP ground-breaking ceremonies held in Gorham, Maine in September 2010 following a four-year planning and permitting process before federal, regional, state, and local review authorities. Work on the project has created approximately 2,700 jobs among more than 350 companies providing construction services, consulting, and supplies. A 2009 study of the project's economic impact for Maine predicted it would generate as many as one-third additional jobs through indirect and induced employment effects.

CMP expects to complete MPRP construction in mid-2015.

About Iberdrola USA: Iberdrola USA, a subsidiary of global energy leader Iberdrola, S.A., is an energy services and delivery company serving about 2.7 million customers throughout upstate New York and New England. For more information about Iberdrola USA, visit www.iberdrolausa.com.

About Central Maine Power Company (CMP): Central Maine Power Company, a subsidiary of Iberdrola USA, is Maine's largest electricity transmission and distribution utility. The company delivers about 9 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually to more than 600,000 homes and businesses, representing about 80% of Maine's annual consumer sales of electricity. The company has been ranked #1 in customer satisfaction six times by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, visit www.cmpco.com/.

SOURCE Iberdrola USA