Regulators in Massachusetts and Rhode Island last week made three offshore wind project contract awards totaling 2,878 megawatts (MW) of new offshore wind capacity.
Massachusetts chose to contract for 1,087 MW out of the 1,287 MW available from the SouthCoast Wind multistate project for the full 791 MW from Avangrid Inc.’s New England Wind 1 project, and up to 800 MW from the 1,200 MW Vineyard Wind 2 project.
Meanwhile, Rhode Island will procure the remaining 200 MW from SouthCoast Wind’s multi-state project.
“The offshore wind solicitation awards by Massachusetts and Rhode Island demonstrate the New England states’ strong commitment to this new, clean source of electricity, and mark the first time that states have worked together on awarding offshore wind power contracts,” said Anne Reynolds, vice president for offshore wind at the American Clean Power Association.
Reynolds added that the states’ governors recognize that surging electricity demand requires investment in offshore wind power to ensure grid reliability and energy independence and that the projects will continue to revitalize New England ports and stimulate job creation.