Central Maine Power is installing new transmission wires to meet the energy needs of East Boothbay.

In recent weeks, the power company has replaced transmission wires and utility poles along a two mile stretch of Ocean Point Road and School Street to provide more power to the eastern peninsula.

“This project is going to benefit the entire East Boothbay area,” said Gail Rice, a public affairs spokesperson for CMP. “It's going to make the line stronger and more flexible and more reliable for many years to come.”

CMP recognized the need to upgrade the power supply in East Boothbay when Bigelow Laboratories was constructed alongside the expansion of Washburn & Doughty Shipyard and Hodgdon Yachts, Rice said.

“When large industrial customers expand, we have to work with them to make sure that our infrastructure is going to be adequate,” Rice said. “We're essentially strengthening and upgrading the grid so it provides better reliability to East Boothbay.”

At a cost of about $200,000, CMP is replacing the 70-year-old copper wire that is the diameter of a ballpoint pen, to make way for thicker aluminum wire that is about the width of a thumb.

About 12 to15 utility poles are being replaced during the project to make service more accessible for line repair along Route 96.

According to CMP, the project started on August 21 and is scheduled to be completed by September 23.