Emera holds ribbon cutting for new transformer in Presque Isle
PRESQUE ISLE — Officials with Emera Maine held a ribbon cutting and reception Friday to celebrate the installation of a new transformer at the Flo’s Inn Substation in Presque Isle. The transformer is needed to provide electric system reliability in northern Maine.
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Aroostook Republican Photo/Mark Putnam Officials with Emera Maine unveiled their largest investment in northern Maine’s electric system since the 1960s Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the addition of a new transformer at the company’s Flo’s Inn substation east of Presque Isle. Making the cut is Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Theresa Fowler while Emera Maine COO Alan Richardson, center, and TAMC Facility Engineer Tim Doak look on. |
This new piece of equipment is now one of three transformers that provide power to Aroostook County. Having this new transformer online allows for regular maintenance to occur on the other two older transformers without disruption of electricity to the region.
A transformer is an electrical device that transfers electricity between one or more circuits. In this case, the transformer will serve about 34,000 customers in northern Maine.
“We’re committed to bringing safe, reliable power to our customers,” said Alan Richardson, Emera Maine president and COO.
“This is one of several needed projects that will improve reliability for our northern Maine customers. Some of our infrastructure is aging and we are making investments to ensure reliability while also getting the most of existing infrastructure,” he said.
Local business representatives joined Emera Maine in support of the project, including Theresa Fowler, executive director of the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce.
“This project is so important to the businesses of this region,” said Fowler. “Keeping our businesses up and running is the key to their success and we need electricity to do that.”
Tim Doak, facilities engineer with The Aroostook Medical Center, expressed his organization’s appreciation for Emera Maine’s reliability record and commitment to meeting and exceeding the region’s energy needs.
“In our personal lives, a power outage is mostly an inconvenience. For many businesses, a power outage can mean a disruption of operations, often resulting in financial losses. But for a hospital and the patients that we serve, a power outage can have an even more significant adverse impact,” he said.
“Reliable power is absolutely critical to providing safe, high quality patient care, which is why this project is so very important to our hospital.”
The new transformer was successfully installed, tested and placed in service over the summer months.
Emera Maine, the state’s second-largest electric utility, delivers electricity to 154,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers across 9,350 square miles in five counties in eastern and northern Maine.
