Iberdrola USA: Company Profile
Iberdrola USA and CMP’s MPRP success
Iberdrola USA and CMP Inve in Reliability and Technology
Iberdrola USA transforms Maine with the state’s largest en infrastructure project in history, totaling $1.4 billion upon co Written by: Alyssa Clark
Produced by: Tom Venturo
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IBERDROLA
Helicopters ferry line workers from pole top to pole top to secure conductors and OPG wire
The Iberdrola USA companies are committed to safely and reliably delivering natural gas and electricity to its customers as well as providing the public with renewable energy solutions. The company operates under three divisions: Iberdrola USA Networks, Inc., Iberdrola Energy Holdings, and Iberdrola Renewables. Through its operating companies in New York and Maine, Iberdrola USA Networks, Inc. delivers natural gas and electricity to nearly three million customers. With 130 billion cubic feet of gas storage and energy services trading 4
floors in Houston and Salt Lake City, Iberdrola Energy Holdings is one of the top independent gas storage operators and gas traders in the country. Iberdrola Renewables has more than 60 projects in 24 states and the largest renewable asset base of any company in the world. Central Maine Power Iberdrola USA’s subsidiary in Maine, Central Maine Power (CMP) is the State’s largest electric utility, serving over 600,000 customers. CMP has a proven track record of providing reliable power to its customers. Nowhere is this dedication to customers and reliable
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service more evident than in the company’s Maine Power Reliability Program. John Carroll, Director of Corporate Communications for Iberdrola USA comments on the genesis of the project and the CMP’s history: “Central Maine Power was founded in Maine in the 1890’s, and as it grew over the years, it became the state’s largest vertically integrated electric utility. In 2000, the State of Maine restructured the industry, creating an unregulated generation industry and regulated
transmission and distribution utilities. Central Maine Power, from that point on, was just a T&D utility. About ten years ago we began evaluating the reliability of our bulk power system, which, at that point, was already thirty-five years old. We recognized that the system had not kept pace with growth, changes in population patterns, and increasing standards for reliability. We determined that the bulk power grid was in significant need of an upgrad to make sure that CMP could continue to provide reliable power;
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IBERDROLA The demand for the Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) Iberdrola USA’s $1.4 billion Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) is the largest energy infrastructure project in the state’s history and the first upgrade of its electricity grid in 40 years; it is also now Iberdrola USA’s largest project to date. Iberdrola USA and CMP launched the MPRP to have a major longterm impact on Maine’s electricity delivery system, as well as provide other benefits throughout New England. Doug Herling, Vice President of
SUPPLIER PROFILE
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Special Projects for Central Maine Power, commented on the goal of the program stating, “the MPRP is made up of many, many projects that, on their own, would stand alone as significant projects, but they are closely linked, so we felt that needed to be managed together if we were to succeed.” The MPRP project includes the construction of five new 345-kilovolt substations and related facilities linked by approximately 450 miles of new or rebuilt transmission lines. The southern end of the line ties into the rest of the New England grid near the New Hampshire border. It
CIANBRO
Founded in 1949 by the Cianchette Brothers, Cianbro is one of the East Coast’s largest, most diverse, open shop, 100% employee-owned construction companies. Operating in more than 40 states, 12 markets, with over 4,000 team members, Cianbro self-performs civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, fabrication, and coating. Throughout 65 years, Cianbro has safely planned, managed, and constructed many complex projects for a variety of clients. Cianbro and Irby Construction are currently upgrading 230 miles of transmission line, known as the Central Loop, as part of the Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) for Central Maine Power Company’s bulk transmission system. Additionally, Cianbro is performing site development and construction for five new and 17 existing electrical substations. For live project webcams and news feeds, Cianbro is on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Cianbro.com.
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IBERDROLA
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passes through 75 cities and towns and the northern end interconnects with transmission lines in the central Maine town of Orrington.
a large undertaking. “By his estimation, using econometric models such as the REMI model, he predicted that given the level and type of spending that Supporting economic growth was associated with the project, the The project, which will be completed MPRP would create roughly 3,300 in 2015, will have employed as jobs in Maine during the peak of the many as 2,500 people the five-year construction.” construction phase and contribute Carroll notes just how timely significantly to indirect and induced the project’s launch was: “The employment as a result of the project began during 2010, at the spending in the Maine economy. time of a very deep recession, and When planning for the program, there was a tremendous amount CMP hired University of Southern of unemployment in Maine. Our Maine economist Charlie Colgan to economy was in freefall, so it was a study the economic impact of such real economic shot in the arm for the
SUPPLIER PROFILE
IRBY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Employees: 750 Established: IRBY was originally established in 1946 and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Quanta Services, Inc. in July 2000. Industry: Transmission, distribution and substation construction and maintenance . Services: IRBY provides the construction and maintenance of transmission, distribution and substation, as well as the installation of fiber optics. Website: www.irbyconst.com
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C O M PA N Y N A M E
A timber-mat road provides access along a rural corridor. The project budget included more than $100 million for timber mats to protect wetlands
people that worked here.” Relying on a network of safe, reliable industry partners, the MPRR project has cultivated its relationship with its contractors. The importance of great working relationships can be seen in the success of contractors like Asplundh Tree Expert Co., who has been a partner to the CMP in Maine for numerous years and played a pivotal role in the corridor clearing aspect of the project. In addition, CMP has built lasting relationships with contractors in the state and beyond including Program
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Manager Burns & McDonnell, major contractors MYR, Irby, Willbros, Cianbro and many more. Protecting our environment As a company that prioritizes renewable energy and sustainable business practices, Iberdrola USA has a strong commitment to the environment. Herling Is proud of the program’s track record when it comes to the environment. “We had a significant environmental application for this project: 8,000 pages of data
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that we sent to the Department of Environmental Protection. It was the biggest application in the state’s history, and we’re following all of the requirements of that application. We work very closely with the contractors and hold them accountable and that has been very successful. Thus far, we have not had any violations.” This lack of violations is due in part to the fact that CMP has had three inspectors working for the Department of Environmental Protection at their jobsite every day of the project. Their presence
ensures that all work done is in compliance with the applicable permits and laws. According to Herling, “It’s something that I personally am very proud of because it’s not only good for our company, it’s good for the State of Maine as well.” Iberdrola USA and CMP remain committed to providing only the best to all of the areas they serve. With nearly 1,000 structures set each year since construction started on the project in the fall of 2010, the project is already 90 percent complete and continues to be on budget and on
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IBERDROLA
115 kV lines converge on the Larrabee Road substation in Lewiston, Maine. One of four new 345115 kV substations in the project
schedule. By the time construction deployed in Maine. This $190 is completed in 2015, nearly 5,200 million project, covered in part by structures will have been set in total. a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), will enable CMP Investments in technology also customers to access pricing and benefit consumers and the usage information through a web environment portal so they can better manage Iberdrola USA’s commitment to energy use and cost. It will provide reliability and its customers does not the company with the best possible stop with large scale infrastructure information on outages to help projects. In the past few years, CMP speed the company’s response. has installed 620,000 advanced Additionally, it will mean operational electricity meters as part of a efficiencies and cost reductions new smart grid program being related to billing, account opening 12
ENERGY
Company Information INDUSTRY
Energy HEADQUARTERS
New Gloucester, Maine FOUNDED
Construction project EMPLOYEES
3,000 REVENUE
$30 billion
and closings, and credit and collections as well as instantaneous meter reading. The advanced meters will provide customers with continuous, real-time information on electrical usage and enable suppliers to offer consumers new options for variable pricing or time-of-use rates. Studies have shown that consumers will use electricity more efficiently when they have real-time information about usage and price. The new meters will be will also help the company reduce costs, enhance system planning, and pinpoint problems more quickly during outages.
PRODUCTS/ SERVICES
Construction project
https://www.facebook. com/IberdrolaRen https://twitter.com/ IberdrolaRen http://www.linkedin. com/company/iberdrolarenewables?trk=cp_ followed_name_ iberdrola-renewables
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Iberdrola Renewables, LLC — Headquarters 1125 NW Couch St., Suite 700 Portland, Oregon 97209 Tel. 503-796-7000 www.iberdrolarenewables.us