August 5, 2011
Massachusetts

Cape Wind foes pushing forced bidding on energy costs

By STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE, www.capecodonline.com 5 August 2011

BOSTON – Opponents of Cape Wind, the 130-turbine wind energy project slated for construction in Nantucket Sound, have filed a ballot question that would require energy companies such as NStar and National Grid to compete for the right to distribute energy from renewable projects.

“If we required competitive bidding, it would protect ratepayers by guaranteeing the most cost-effective contracts,” said Audra Parker, president and CEO of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound. Parker said the law currently permits “no-bid contracts” that could result in higher costs for consumers. She said that “ideally” the ballot question would affect Cape Wind’s efforts to sell the 50 percent of its projected power that hasn’t been contracted out.

Parker said the alliance is still considering whether it intends to pour resources into what could prove to be a protracted and expensive ballot campaign. If Attorney General Martha Coakley certifies the language of the ballot question, backers will have until mid-November to gather 68,911 signatures. If that effort is successful, lawmakers would have until May 2012 to pass the proposal, offer an alternative or allow it to go to the ballot.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/08/05/cape-wind-foes-pushing-forced-bidding-on-energy-costs/