BANGOR – An agreement that seeks to expedite regulatory reviews will enable Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. to proceed with plans for an 85-mile power transmission line from Orrington to Baileyville, Maine’s two U.S. senators said Tuesday.

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins said the agreement calls for the Maine Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency to issue a permit to the utility in a timely manner.

The project, known as the Northeast Reliability Interconnect, would supply Maine with additional supplies of energy and save the state $100 million over six years, the senators said.

Under plans outlined in 2004, Bangor Hydro would build the power line through portions of Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties to link the New England and Canadian power grids. Bangor Hydro has said for years that Maine needs a second tie to Canada, noting that power is lost as it is transported long distances on 30-year-old lines.

The utility said installing the line along the Maritimes & Northeast natural gas pipeline would limit adverse environmental effects.

Bangor Hydro abandoned an earlier attempt to build a transmission line after encountering opposition from environmental lobbyists and regulators. In 2003, the company said it would try again.