US Wind’s application for an offshore wind project off Maryland has passed an initial screening by state regulators, a major milestone for the subsidiary of Italian outfit Renexia.
The Public Service Commission has determined the submission is administratively complete and has opened a 180-day application period for any other developers of offshore wind projects off Maryland.
“We’re very excited the project is moving along,” US Wind managing director Paul Rich told reNEWS. “We’re eager to get the process completed.”
When the application period ends in August, the commission will hold proceedings to allow interested parties to comment. A decision on offshore renewable energy credit funding is expected by February 2017, said Rich.
Maryland has an offshore wind carve-out designed to support about a 250MW wind farm. The project must show net economic, environmental and health benefits to the state.
The developer holds a commercial lease for almost 80,000 acres on the outer continental shelf about 15 miles from shore.
While the OREC process proceeds, US Wind continues to work on project development. Federal regulators are reviewing a ‘site assessment plan’, which will allow the developer to install a meteorological tower this summer.
Louisiana-based Keystone Engineering is designing a met mast monopile foundation.
US Wind hopes to start project construction on a 250MW first phase in late 2017 and begin operation in 2019.
Image: if the wind farm goes ahead it will located off the coast of Ocean City (US Army Corps of Engineers)
