PITTSFIELD, Maine — The planning board put the final touches on an application by Central Maine Power for a major transmission line project through town Monday, but will hold off on a final decision until residents have a chance to weigh in.
Pittsfield is one of some 80 Maine towns that are grappling with CMP’s proposed Maine Power Reliability Program, a $1.5 billion upgrade of electricity transmission lines that the company says is needed to accommodate the utility demands of the future. The power lines and substations proposed are designed to carry huge amounts of electricity for vast distances. That means the project has to go through a lot of people’s property, as is the case along the 9.5 miles of wire proposed in Pittsfield.
The project will follow the corridor of an existing electrical transmission line in town but because its capacity will be expanded, a wider space is needed to accommodate the towers.
John Titus, an environmental specialist for TRC Engineers of Augusta, which was hired by CMP for this project, told the planning board that all but “about five” Pittsfield residents directly affected by the project have agreed to let the lines come through their property, many of them by agreeing to sell land to CMP. Town Manager Kathryn Ruth said after the meeting that at least 70 Pittsfield landowners abut the proposed project.
“We had to squeeze the project in so it met the town’s setbacks,” Titus said. “We did accomplish that by the skin of our teeth.”
Asked by board chairman Fred Raynes what would happen to landowners who refused to comply, Titus said in some cases the lines could be engineered differently to skirt those properties. Otherwise, CMP might be forced to take property by eminent domain — though Titus said he was hopeful it wouldn’t come to that.
“In Pittsfield that would be the less-preferred route,” said board member Mark LaGross.
The planning board, which has hosted CMP several times on this project, ticked through a lengthy list of requirements that would align the project with the town’s site plan ordinances. There were several matters outstanding Monday night, but none that appeared to be insurmountable.
CMP also needs a shoreland zoning permit from the town, but the board tabled action on that item until the conclusion of a Jan. 11 public hearing.
Board member Jennifer Siter asked whether having twice the carrying capacity would make the hum from the wires twice as loud.
“Is it going to sound like a million mosquitoes instead of just 100,000 mosquitoes?” she asked.
Titus responded that the hum will be louder than it is now, but at less than 40 decibels still as quiet as a whisper. That level of sound is usually drowned out by the natural environment.
“Normally, it’s not detectable,” he said.
The Jan. 11 public hearing begins at 7 p.m. in the Pittsfield municipal building.
