The 800MW Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm off the US east coast has passed the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) review process, enabling it to proceed with state, regional and local permitting.
According to Vineyard Wind chief development officer Erich Stephens, the MEPA environmental review process provided a significant benefit to the project, allowing numerous stakeholders, advocacy groups and interested citizens to help identify and address impacts so they can be effectively managed or mitigated.
With MEPA’s certification, the project will now seek permit review from the Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard Commissions, and the Barnstable Conservation Commission, among others, the developer said.
Stephens said: “Our team will continue to work collaboratively with state, regional and local regulatory agencies – as well as all stakeholders – as the project moves forward.”
Progress of Vineyard Wind to date includes ongoing review of the power purchase agreements by the Department of Public Utilities, expected to conclude in March 2019, and completion of evidentiary hearings before the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board in October 2018, with a final decision anticipated in early April.
Other developments include selection of MHI Vestas Offshore Wind as the preferred supplier of V164 9.5 MW offshore wind turbines for the project.
The proposed Vineyard Wind connector project will comprise of subsea and subsurface electrical transmission lines and a new substation that will connect the Vineyard Wind turbine array to the Massachusetts electric grid.
Vineyard Wind will be located in the federal waters south of Martha’s Vineyard and calls for a grid connection point to an existing substation in an industrial park in Barnstable.
Meanwhile Vineyard Wind LLC has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to address a requested waiver to ensure the company’s proposed 800MW offshore wind farm can take part in future capacity auctions.
The developer filed an emergency motion with FERC to halt the Independent System Operator New England (ISO-NE) Forward Capacity auction, which started on 4 February.
Vineyard Wind has requested the auction is postponed until FERC responds to a petition sent by the developer in December 2018 that would enable the project to participate in the auction.
In November 2018, ISO-NE and the New England Power Pool Participants Committee (NEPOOL), which together run the regional electricity market, submitted a joint filing to make changes to ISO-NE’s Transmission, Markets and Services Tariff.
Changes proposed include a clarification of the tariff language to allow for offshore wind resources with an interconnection in an ISO-NE state to participate in the auction as renewable technology resources, which currently only recognises land-based clean power assets.
In December, ISO-NE and NEPOOL requested that Vineyard Wind “receive a waiver from the Commission of the application of certain tariff provisions” establishing the proration of renewable technology resources should the wind farm’s capacity exceed the capacity cap within the Tariff. Vineyard Wind requested the same on 29 January.
FERC accepted the proposed tariff changes, including the language affecting offshore wind resources, but did not accept the waiver request concerning Vineyard Wind.
As a result, Vineyard Wind is exempt from the first future capacity auction for delivery of electricity in 2022, the first year that the project would be able to participate as an operational entity.
In a joint public statement, Commissioners Cheryl LaFleur and Richard Glick said: “We are disappointed that the Commission failed to act on Vineyard Wind’s requests for a waiver and emergency motion in advance of ISO-New England’s forward capacity auction.
“We recognise that the Commission can move forward only when it has a majority of votes for a particular action.
“Nevertheless, by failing to act, the Commission has introduced significant uncertainty into this auction. All parties, including New England’s states, consumers, and auction participants, deserve better.”
A spokesman for Vineyard Wind said: “Vineyard Wind urges FERC to address the company’s requested tariff waiver immediately, as well as work with the industry to accommodate emerging US offshore wind energy at future Forward Capacity Auctions.
“Vineyard Wind is committed to creating a path forward that will deliver carbon-free energy to American homes and businesses.”