Without any agreements in place, the deadline for companies to complete contracts covering a portion of the state’s slow-to-start wind power ambitions has passed again and will be extended, this time until the end of the year.
The Healey Administration’s 2023 request for proposals for the state’s fourth and largest offshore wind RFP follows the June 30 deadline for wind energy contract execution.
A DOER official said governmental obstacles are being faced by the companies bidding on the project.
The uncertainty brought about by the shifting government landscape makes it challenging to finish contracts, even though the utilities and developers are working diligently to commemorate the bids in legally enforceable contracts, said Lauren Diggin on behalf of DOER.
The project’s sponsors, Unitil, National Grid, and Eversource Energy, have said they will require additional time to finish contract negotiations at least four times now. The deadline was initially set for August 14, 2024. Following that, the deadline was rescheduled for November and January of the following year. It was moved to June on March 31.
According to the company’s most recent letter, dated June 30, since March, things have become more problematic.
According to their letter, the counterparties have not yet finished contract negotiations because of the continuous uncertainty brought on by federal level operations. They set new deadlines of December 31 for completion of the negotiations and February 25 for filing with the DPU.
Diggin stated that the Bay State is still dedicated to the wind power concept in spite of the postponement.
Massachusetts is dedicated to using offshore wind as part of an all-encompassing energy strategy. Locally produced offshore wind in Massachusetts will contribute to cost reductions, the creation of thousands of employment, and the advancement of energy independence, she told the Herald.
