Shell-EDF joint venture Atlantic Shores has asked the state of New Jersey for permission to pull out of its agreement with the state to deliver 1500MW of offshore wind power from its planned array off the state’s southern coast.
In 4 June filing with New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Atlantic Shores pointed to the withdrawal of a key air permit from the US Environmental Protection Agency following President Donald Trump’s executive order pausing all federal offshore wind permitting.
The withdrawal of the permit “significantly jeopardizes” funding and construction plans for the project, Atlantic Shores wrote to the BPU.
In January Shell announced its plans to pull out of Atlantic Shores and monetise its 50% stake.
New Jersey’s February cancellation of its fourth offshore wind solicitation round, into which Atlantic Shores had submitted a re-bid, further hampered plans for the array.
The “Presidential Wind Memorandum not only has blocked existing permit approvals necessary to begin construction but has undermined efforts to improve OSW economics in New Jersey”, the developer told the BPU.
The wind farm is no longer viable, the developer continued, despite EDF and Shell’s “diligent and good faith efforts to advance the Project toward completion”.