PSC approves land-based wind deals
The Public Service Commission has approved land-based wind contracts between Delmarva Power and two developers after a meeting in Dover that lasted about five hours.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a 20-year deal between Delmarva and Synergics for a maximum of 100 megawatts of wind power from two wind farms in western Maryland.
Commissioners also voted unanimously to approve a 15-year deal with AES for a wind farm in north-central Pennsylvania that would produce up to 70 megawatts.
The contracts help Delmarva fulfill its “renewable portfolio standard” — a state law requiring it to buy from clean sources.
The commission approved the contracts despite objections from a PSC staff consultant that Delmarva put out the request for proposals without input from the PSC.
The consultant said it was probably a way for Delmarva to fight the Bluewater Wind offshore wind farm proposal at the time, but ended up producing reasonable bids.
The PSC approved minor changes to the contracts as recommended by a staff consultant. “We were fine with all those changes. We’re just thankful the commission recognized the need to fast-track the approval of these contracts,” said Delmarva spokeswoman Bridget Shelton.
Construction on two of the wind farms is expected to start next year.
University of Delaware associate professor Jeremy Firestone, who has said more offshore wind power would have been preferable, said there was no need to rush all three wind farms through on Tuesday.
Approval of a Synergics wind farm in Maryland, scheduled to begin construction in 2010, could have been delayed, pending a closer look at whether a bigger buy from Bluewater would have been preferable, he said.
By Aaron Nathans
8 October 2008
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