Off-Shore Wind

Powering a clean future, Connecticut is investing in wind energy

By late 2023, renewable energy projects such as those proposed by Deepwater Wind will be powering Connecticut with up to 25 wind turbines, built in federal waters southwest of Martha’s Vineyard. Part of the proposed 75-turbine wind farm project “Revolution Wind”. The project also will send power to Rhode Island which, like Connecticut, recently tapped Deepwater Wind in a renewable energy auction.

New London is set to be the assembly and staging area for the fabrication of components for Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects throughout the northeast. Deepwater Wind has pledged $15 million in infrastructure investments to upgrade the existing infrastructure in preparation. Governor Malloy pledged a matching $15 million investment in State Pier to support his recent policies requiring greater investment by the state in renewable energies.

Deepwater Wind’s proposed $15 million investment would help “the state and New London punch above its weight in future offshore wind deployment,” said Matt Morrissey, Massachusetts Vice President at Deepwater Wind. “The supply chain at a certain point in Europe will reach an economic threshold where it just makes sense to start manufacturing in the U.S.”

Contracts between Deepwater Wind, Eversource, United Illuminating and National Grid will ensure the wind farm’s power is channeled by ISO New England into Connecticut and Rhode Island. The states procured 200 and 400 megawatts of electricity, respectively, and Morrissey has indicated that Revolution Wind would expand its turbines and operations in the future.

Deepwater Wind’s contracts with utilities in Connecticut must be approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, which will offer ratepayers and the public opportunities to comment. Negotiations haven’t begun yet, but officials tentatively expect the contracts and the PURA process to play out through early 2019.