Offshore Development Company Pitches Park City Wind

From Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant:

A Massachusetts company has submitted a bid to state energy officials to harness offshore wind power in a project tied to Bridgeport that promoters say would boost the economy of Connecticut’s largest city.

Vineyard Wind, based in New Bedford, Mass., submitted bids Monday for a 400-megawatt plan and options to develop projects that will generate 800 megawatts, 1,000 megawatts and 1,200 megawatts. The project, known as “Park City Wind,” was submitted to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in response to the agency’s 2019 solicitation for offshore wind power.

Full story here.

For additional background see here.

News release from Vineyard Wind:

Vineyard Wind today submitted a set of offshore wind project proposals called “Park City Wind” to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in response to their 2019 solicitation for offshore wind power. The bids submitted include a required 400 megawatt (MW) plan and options to develop projects that will generate 800 MW, 1000 MW and 1200 MW.

“Vineyard Wind is pleased to submit a dynamic set of project proposals to deliver a reliable source of fixed, low-cost, zero-emission energy to Connecticut rate-payers, while supporting the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Lars Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “Our Park City Wind proposal is much more than an energy project–it’s an opportunity for Connecticut to develop a world-class offshore wind industry in Bridgeport and solidify its role as a high value industry hub in the U.S. for years to come. Vineyard Wind looks forward to working with all stakeholders involved throughout the review process and will be announcing additional details about this exciting opportunity in the weeks ahead.”

Park City Wind, named after the City of Bridgeport, includes projects ranging from 408 MW to 1,200 MW that would be constructed in one of Vineyard Wind’s two federally designated lease areas (Lease Area OCS-A 0501 and Lease Area OCS-A 0522). Both lease areas are located south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket in the midst of the strongest winds on the east coast and would not be visible from any shoreline in Connecticut.

Each Park City Wind option will bring substantial economic development and job creation benefits to Connecticut, providing hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs particularly in and near Bridgeport. Beyond the immediate job and economic opportunities, Vineyard Wind has sought partnerships with a number of preeminent educational and workforce development organizations to ensure that Connecticut residents of all skill levels, ages and backgrounds can have access to a tremendous opportunity in this 21st Century industry.

About Vineyard Wind
Vineyard Wind LLC is an offshore wind development company seeking to build the first large-scale offshore wind energy project in the US, to be located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. Vineyard Wind, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is 50 percent owned by funds of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and 50 percent by Avangrid Renewables. For more information, visit www.vineyardwind.com.