MAINE, USA — After years of delays and battles in court, work on the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line, also known as the CMP Corridor, is expected to resume in August.
According to Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra Blazquez, work will resume on August 3 on critical path activities relating to the Lewiston substation.
Azagra Blazquez provided the update during Avangrid's quarterly earnings call on Thursday. Avangrid is the parent company of Central Maine Power.
"We are having ongoing discussions on cost adjustments and have reached an agreement with the counterparties to extend the COD timeline under the contracts, if necessary. In addition, we will be working on critical path activities in the Lewiston substation as of August 3rd," Azagra Blazquez said.
Azagra Blazquez stated during the call that project has an expected total capital expenditure of $1.5 billion, with $638 million already invested.
"Today we have provided the regulator in Maine with the required notice that we will continue some critical path construction in August," Azagra Blazquez said.
The decision comes several months after a jury ruled the project had established vested rights, and it would be allowed to move forward with construction.
Work on the project has been stalled since 2021. Following the jury's ruling this spring, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection restored permits granted to the project.
Construction costs have increased significantly since the project was initially proposed however. Earlier this summer, the Massachusetts Legislature passed provisions to allow for cost renegotiations on the project.
It is unclear how long it will take to complete the project.