Central Maine Power sets final pole in $1.4 billion power grid upgrade

Central Maine Power has set the final transmission pole needed to complete a $1.4 billion power grid upgrade.

The company celebrated the milestone reached Monday when workers raised the 101-foot tall pole in Windsor.

More than 5,000 structures have been installed between Orrington and Elliot since work on the Maine Power Reliability Program began in 2010.

It's thought to be the biggest construction project in Maine history and the first major upgrade of the state's power grid in 40 years.

CMP President and CEO Sara Burns said Monday that thousands of workers and hundreds of businesses participated in the project. She says it will serve the region for generations.

The project includes five 345,000-volt substations and one new 115,000-volt substation. All told, there are 440 miles of new transmission lines.