MASSACHUSETTS POLICYMAKERS may be split on whether offshore wind developers should be allowed to adjust the pricing in their existing power purchase agreements to cope with changing economic conditions, but there is no disagreement – within the industry at least – that adjustments should be permitted on future contracts. In filings with the Department of […]
Offshore Wind
Posted inEnergy, Environment, State Government
Prysmian seeks assurances before building Somerset plant
THE PRYSMIAN GROUP says it wants to push ahead with plans to open a manufacturing facility at Brayton Point in Somerset to serve the emerging offshore wind industry, but it wants assurances before doing so. “To invest, Prysmian needs certainty that future Massachusetts projects will utilize local assets such as in-state manufacturing,” said Hakan Ozmen, […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Senate leader calls for banning Avangrid from future projects
THE SENATE’S top budget official is calling for Avangrid to be banned from bidding on any future projects in the state if it terminates its current offshore wind contract. Avangrid agreed to the terms of a 20-year power purchase agreement last year and just before it won final regulatory approval the company stepped forward to […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Avangrid seeking price relief on offshore wind, hydro projects
THE CEO of Avangrid told financial analysts on Wednesday that his company needs price relief on two of the biggest renewable projects in New England – a major wind farm off the coast of Nantucket and a transmission line carrying hydroelectricity into the region from Quebec. In his remarks, Pedro Azagra also voiced support for […]
Posted inThe Download
Somerset infighting resumes; cable factory may be threatened
The town of Somerset – and its largest landowner, Brayton Point LLC – are fighting again, potentially jeopardizing the construction of a factory making cable for the emerging offshore wind industry. The proposed factory, a tangible sign of offshore wind’s potential, would be a dream come true for the town, the company, and the state, […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Somerset infighting resumes; cable factory may be threatened
THE TOWN of Somerset – and its largest landowner, Brayton Point LLC – are fighting again, potentially jeopardizing the construction of a factory making cable for the emerging offshore wind industry. The proposed factory, a tangible sign of offshore wind’s potential, would be a dream come true for the town, the company, and the state, […]
Posted inThe Download
Lawmakers walk tightrope on wind power contracts
The Legislature’s energy experts say it makes sense to penalize CommonWealth Wind and Mayflower Wind if they default on their recently approved power purchase contracts, but the lawmakers don’t want the penalties to include a ban on participation in an upcoming offshore wind procurement. The House and Senate chairs of the Legislature’s Utilities, Telecommunications, and […]
Posted inEnergy
Lawmakers walk tightrope on wind power contracts
THE LEGISLATURE’S ENERGY experts say it makes sense to penalize CommonWealth Wind and Mayflower Wind if they default on their recently approved power purchase contracts, but the lawmakers don’t want the penalties to include a ban on participation in an upcoming offshore wind procurement. The House and Senate chairs of the Legislature’s Utilities, Telecommunications, and […]
Posted inEnergy, State House News Service
Mass. shows interest in financing Maine wind project
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A 1,000 MEGAWATT onshore wind project planned for northern Maine and an associated transmission build-out “would provide benefits to Massachusetts and the region,” the Mass. Department of Energy Resources said as it determined that it makes sense to have Bay State ratepayers cover 40 percent of the project costs as part […]
Posted inOpinion
Sky is not falling with offshore wind
MASSACHUSETTS’ INEVITABLE march toward becoming a wind energy powerhouse suffered a setback recently when the news broke that Avangrid had filed to terminate its contracts to build the 1.2-gigawatt Commonwealth Wind farm off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. This past week the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities rejected Avangrid’s bid and it’s claim that it […]