mainepublicutilitiescommission.docVIP

MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION AUGUSTA, MAINE IN RE: ) Docket No. 2008255 MAINE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION ) November 24, 2008 Public Hearing for Finding of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Maine Power Reliability Program Consisting of the Construction of Approximately 350 Miles of 34.5 kV and 115 kV Transmission Lines (MPRP) APPEARANCES: JAMES BUCKLEY, Hearing Examiner SHARON REISHUS, Maine Public Utilities Commission VENDEAN VAFIADES, Maine Public Utilities Commission JACK CASHMAN, Maine Public Utilities Commission MR. BUCKLEY: We are going to go ahead and get started now. Thank you. Good evening. This is a public hearing of the Public Utilities Commission in a case that involves Central Maine Power Companys request for approval to build a number of transmission lines known as the Maine Power Reliability Program or the MPRP. My name is James Buckley, Im a hearing examiner assigned to this case. On my right is the chairman of the PUC, chairperson, I should say, of the PUC, Sharon Reishus, and on my left is Commissioner Jack Cashman, and to Jacks left is Commissioner Vendean Vafiades. Fred Bever who is our communications person is way back there, the other person from the PUC. And we have a hearing reporter here this evening so that a transcript will be made of everybodys testimony. As many of you know, this case involves a new 345 kilovolt line basically from Orrington to the New Hampshire border in Eliot. In particular, the 345 line which will go from the Augusta area, go through Litchfield, Monmouth, Greene, and into Lewiston/Auburn on into Yarmouth is a section probably of interest tonight. There is also a new 115 kilovolt line proposed in the Lewiston area. For this public witness hearing, I have a signup sheet. I have a bunch of names. If you want to testify tonight, just get your name on the list. Otherwise, you dont have to be on the list, but you will go last if you are no