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New England overseas wind auction draws several bidders

A combined Connecticut-Massachusetts-Rhode Island offshore wind solicitation on Wednesday brought in bids from at least four developers, consisting of units of European energy firms Iberdrola and Orsted.

The U.S. overseas wind market is showing indications of a. resurgence this year, with several jobs in numerous stages of. advancement and building and construction, after a dreadful 2023 of. developers cancelling contracts and taking roughly $9.1 billion. in write-offs and disabilities on projects.

Up until now, Avangrid, Orsted, Vineyard Offshore and SouthCoast. Wind have actually made propositions in the tri-state auction, which is. expected to play a crucial role in federal and state strategies to. decarbonize the power grid and assistance alleviate environment change.

Avangrid, a member of the Iberdrola Group, submitted. several propositions, consisting of the 791-megawatt (MW) New England. Wind 1 and the 1,080-MW New England Wind 2. If integrated, the two. jobs could create sufficient power to provide nearly 1 million. homes.

Avangrid is prepared to go, Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra said in. a news release, including that building and construction could start on New. England Wind 1 as early as next year.

The company said New England Wind 1 could accomplish industrial. operations in 2029.

In a different bid, Orsted, the world's most significant overseas wind. company, proposed the 1,184-megawatt Starboard Wind project,. which might supply power to Connecticut and/or Rhode Island.

Vineyard Offshore said it proposed the 1,200-megawatt (MW). Vineyard Wind 2, which would sit 29 miles (46.7 kilometers). south of Nantucket in Massachusetts. The job might start in. 2031.

Vineyard Offshore is held by funds handled by Copenhagen. Infrastructure Partners.

An extra project, called SouthCoast Wind, which is. backed by a joint endeavor between EDP Energias de Portugal. and Engie, was bid with few details about. its size and scope.

After agreements to offer overseas wind power to energies in. Massachusetts and Connecticut were scrapped due to increasing costs. from higher rate of interest and supply chain problems,. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island agreed in October. 2023 to jointly pursue offshore wind to help get more projects. constructed.

Some business that canceled contracts to sell overseas wind. power in the U.S. Northeast in 2023 have indicated they have. tasks prepared to be bid in upcoming solicitations. Those. include units of Avangrid, BP, EDP Energias de Portugal. and Engie.

Although Orsted has not canceled tasks in New England, it. has dropped contracts to offer offshore wind power in New york city,. New Jersey and Maryland over the previous year.

(source: Reuters)