A pair of offshore wind projects will be moving forward in the contract negotiation process, Gov. Charlie Baker said.
Mayflower Wind and Vineyard Wind will provide 1,600 megawatts of clean and affordable energy to Massachusetts ratepayers, the governor claimed in a news release. The projects join two previously approved projects. If approved, the state’s offshore wind production would rise to 3,200 megawatts, enough to power 1.6 million homes.
“Massachusetts has been a national leader in the offshore wind industry and today’s announcement is another major milestone with the selection of two projects that double the amount of offshore wind power secured by the Commonwealth,” Baker said in the release. “The bipartisan energy legislation our Administration worked with the Legislature to pass in 2016 has unlocked record low pricing and significant economic investment through three separate procurements, and the projects selected today further illustrate the potential offshore wind presents for our climate goals, our local workforce and our port communities.”
The projects selected are a 400-megawatt proposal from Mayflower Wind and a 1,200-megawatt proposal from Vineyard Wind. The bids, according to the release, were selected for contract negotiations using criteria established under the request for proposals.
The bids included criteria for the economic evaluation of the benefits ratepayers would see from the realization of the project, the project’s ability to drive economic and workforce development, and any environmental impacts the projects would have on the state, according to the release. The projects showed an ability to avoid or mitigate any impacts on fisheries.
Following the review, the projects were chosen due to a greater value to the state’s residents with a combined 1,600-megawatt capacity and benefits to ratepayers.
Each company gave competitive prices for ratepayers in addition to generous economic development package in their proposals. The proposals included plans for workforce diversity and supplier diversity and actively promoted employment opportunities for women, minorities, veterans and LGBT and people with disabilities.
The bids will be finalized upon successful contract negotiations, according to the release, in addition to regulatory approval by the Department of Public Utilities.
This article was originally posted on Offshore wind projects move into contract negotiation stage