New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
The legislature passed an omnibus energy bill that will require the solicitation of long-term contracts for at least 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind, starting in 2017 and ending by 2027. A previous measure passed by the House required only 1,200 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, which is thought to be inadequate by industry experts. The Senate passed its own version of that same bill to increase offshore wind to 2,000 megawatts after Senator Montigny and Senate leaders demanded stronger support. This effort ensured at least 1600 megawatts was included in the final legislation.
A successful amendment was filed to ensure offshore wind contracts are solicited by 2027 rather than 2030. The amendment also required offshore wind solicitations to occur approximately every 24 months. Senator Montigny stated, “We need to ensure a continual investment in offshore wind to maximize job creation and economic development here in New Bedford and the entire state. This amendment will do just that. While it is disappointing that the final bill does not include the recommended 2,000 megawatts that the Senate adopted, we are pleased that this bill will spur the beginnings of a major new job-creating industry on our waterfront.”
The state will be directed to give preference to both offshore wind and hydro proposals that benefit low-income ratepayers. The measure explicitly addresses the cost of renewable power on low-income consumers that had been sorely missed in previous versions of the legislation. The preference may only apply if the proposal does not add further costs to the project.
