The City of Portland is exploring ways to reduce the carbon emissions of large cruise liners while docked in port.
The city asked Central Maine Power to study the feasibility of creating a transmission system that would allow 3 cruise ships to get power off the grid and shut down their engines.
CMP'S Meg Sullivan told members of Portland's Sustainability and Transportation Committee meeting Wednesday that its existing transmission system could not accommodate the required 25 megawatts of power. But she said the company is finalizing a grid upgrade that could handle shore power and increasing demand in the area.
"We are creating our solutions for the Portland area that would accommodate the 25 megawatts of shore power plus some of the additional electrification and growth that we are expecting in the area," Sullivan said.
That project would take 10 or more years to complete at a cost to the city of $60 million, according to Sullivan. CMP, she said, would incur at least $500 million for the build out.
Expediting a second option that would include a new substation and transmission line would cost $346 million and take more than 7 years to complete.
Maine Public’s Climate Desk is made possible by Androscoggin bank, with additional support from Evergreen Home Performance, Bigelow Laboratory, & Lee Auto Malls.