FERC’s decision gives authority to ADP to obtain customers and sell transmission rights to a 2GW or 2.4GW offshore wind transmission system in southern New England called the ‘Massachusetts Ocean Grid’.
The approval also allows ADP to offer its backbone transmission system to offshore wind developers who presently hold federal leases along with future lease holders who are likely to emerge.
ADP CEO Edward Krapels said that the development of transmission backbone to expand offshore capacity would strengthen the long-term energy vision of Massachusetts.
Krapels said: “Massachusetts needs to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a worldwide leader in offshore wind.
“The Massachusetts Ocean Grid will provide a common offshore interconnection point for multiple wind developers, rather than relying on each wind developer to build its own individual generator lead.
“The transmission backbone must be carefully designed to optimize the limited number of on-shore interconnection points, maximize competition among wind generators, and minimize the environmental impact of the transmission needed to bring offshore wind to market.”
Massachusetts passed the Energy Diversity Act in 2016, which required state regulated utilities to acquire 1.6GW of offshore wind by June 2027. Last June, Massachusetts launched the first request for proposas (RfP), seeking bids for at least 400MW in offshore wind power from developers.
The first phase of the Massachusetts Ocean Grid is expected to be completed in December 2021 and full operations could begin by 2025.
Anbaric and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board established Anbaric Development Partners in March 2017. Anbaric’s has developed the Neptune Regional Transmission System and the Hudson Transmission System.
Image: Anbaric Development Partners to strengthen grid for offshore wind. Photo: Courtesy of John Nyberg/FreeImages.com.
