Man Turns Himself In After Allegedly Firing at 3 CMP Substations

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A 54-year-old man from Fairfield, Maine has been charged with aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated reckless conduct after allegedly firing gunshots at three Central Maine Power substations in Kennebec County early Sunday morning. The attacks caused damage to the electrical infrastructure but no injuries or major service interruptions.

Why it matters

Attacks on critical energy infrastructure like power substations can pose serious risks to public safety and reliability of the electrical grid. While this incident did not lead to widespread outages, it highlights the vulnerability of these facilities and the need for enhanced security measures.

The details

According to authorities, gunfire was first reported at the Coopers Mills substation in Windsor around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday. Officers were then called to a substation on Benton Avenue in Winslow at 3:59 a.m., followed by a third report at the Capitol Street substation in Augusta at 4:15 a.m. Later that morning, 54-year-old Thomas Welch of Fairfield turned himself in to Winslow police. Welch was charged with aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated reckless conduct.

• Gunfire was first reported at the Coopers Mills substation in Windsor around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday.
• Officers were called to a substation on Benton Avenue in Winslow at 3:59 a.m.
• A third report came in at the Capitol Street substation in Augusta at 4:15 a.m.

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Thomas Welch to be released on bail.