Vineyard Wind Pitches Offshore Wind Sequel in Massachusetts

Vineyard Wind has submitted a set of commercial large- scale offshore wind proposals to Massachusetts Electric Distribution Companies (EDCs) as part of the state’s second Request for Proposals (RFP).

The proposals include a required 400MW option and two options for the development of an 800MW project.

“Vineyard Wind is very excited to submit these proposals, which offer significant job creation and port infrastructure investment opportunity for the region, while ensuring an attractive, fixed price for electric ratepayers,” said Lars Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind.

“We look forward to announcing additional details on this exciting project in the weeks ahead.”

The proposed project, referred to as Vineyard Wind 2, would be built in Vineyard Wind’s lease area, and located south of the Vineyard Wind 1 project.

The design for Vineyard Wind 2 features turbines in rows aligned in an east-west direction, with spacing of one nautical mile between turbine rows, the developer said.

As reported earlier, Bay State Wind, a 50/50 joint venture between Ørsted and Eversource, has also submitted proposals in response to the state’s second RFP.

Based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Vineyard Wind is 50 percent owned by funds of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and 50 percent by Avangrid Renewables.

Back in May 2018, Vineyard Wind’s bid to develop the 800MW Vineyard Wind 1 was selected for contract negotiation as part of the Commonwealth’s first RFP.

The project has recently faced setbacks after the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) delayed the issuance of the Federal Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the project and initiated a supplemental draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.

The supplemental draft EIS is expected to be completed by early next year at the latest, BOEM said.