Wind Power News: Connecticut
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Can lawmakers pry out port authority secrets at this week’s hearing?
The state’s Democratic establishment has been busy sitting on the rattling lid of the Connecticut Port Authority scandals, as they have been roiling since summer. One valiant effort by Gov. Ned Lamont’s port authority to contain the scandals was an offer of hush money to Gerri Lewis, the authority’s fired office manager – $5,000 if she would sign a deal prohibiting her from talking to the news media. Lewis declined the offer and her one subsequent public statement on port authority . . . Complete story »
Turbine spacing proposal irks fishing industry
The commercial fishing industry is saying “Not so fast” regarding the proposal by five offshore wind leaseholders to institute a one nautical mile of spacing between wind turbines for upcoming development in the New England region. The turbine spacing would be arranged in a north, south, east and west uniformed grid formation pattern. The problem is: for safety purposes, the commercial fishing industry says it needs more spacing to conduct its business, noting that up to four nautical miles of . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine spacing plan inadequate for fishing safety
From the perspective of Connecticut’s commercial fishermen who provide over $53 million to our state’s economy, nearly 1,000 jobs and food on the table of countless consumers, I wanted to respond to the Nov. 19 Day article, “New England Wind Turbine Plan Proposed to Allay Concerns.” The four developers advancing offshore wind farms off Connecticut’s coast and competing for Connecticut’s energy contracts – Equinor, Mayflower Wind, Orsted/Eversource and Vineyard Wind – released their proposal to the U.S. Coast Guard for . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine spacing plan inadequate for fishing safety
From the perspective of Connecticut’s commercial fishermen who provide over $53 million to our state’s economy, nearly 1,000 jobs and food on the table of countless consumers, I wanted to respond to the Nov. 19 Day article, “New England Wind Turbine Plan Proposed to Allay Concerns.” The four developers advancing offshore wind farms off Connecticut’s coast and competing for Connecticut’s energy contracts – Equinor, Mayflower Wind, Orsted/Eversource and Vineyard Wind – released their proposal to the U.S. Coast Guard for . . . Complete story »
Network could deliver wind power across southern New England
The company that is turning the site of a former coal-burning power plant in Somerset into a green energy center has filed a federal application to develop a single transmission network that could deliver power from offshore wind farms to Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Anbaric, a Wakefield-based company that focuses exclusively on transmission, said it filed its application with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for “non-exclusive rights-of-way to develop the Southern New England OceanGrid,” which it described . . . Complete story »
Cross Sound Ferry flips out over wind assembly plan
If you could scream and shout and jump up and down in a letter, that’s exactly what Cross Sound Ferry seemed to be doing in a two-page missive it fired off last week, lambasting the Connecticut Port Authority for its obtrusive plans to accommodate wind turbine assembly at State Pier in New London. The company says the wind work as proposed would interfere with the company’s use of its ferry terminals, a complaint it says has been ignored. The Nov. . . . Complete story »
Stonington fishermen say wind farm developer not responding to their concerns
Stonington – Local fishermen say they’ve been waiting for months for Ørsted to respond to a host of concerns they’ve presented about a proposed 75-turbine wind farm about a dozen miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard. Joe Gilbert, who has a fleet of four commercial boats based at the Stonington Town Dock, said he met with John O’Keefe, head of marine operations for Ørsted, in March to discuss the “vast” concerns that he and other fishermen have ranging from potential environmental impacts . . . Complete story »
Why is Lamont’s wind deal not done yet?
It was way back in July, long before the chilly winds of October began to blow, that I first learned that Connecticut Port Authority’s $93 million plan to transform New London’s Pier into a wind turbine assembly facility was not a done deal. Most people assumed, when Gov. Ned Lamont came to town in early May to ceremoniously announce the deal, including his own $35.5 million contribution, that it was all signed and sealed. The headline from the announcement said . . . Complete story »
Massachusetts company competes to harness wind power for Connecticut, pitching Bridgeport as a hub
A Massachusetts company has submitted a bid to state energy officials to harness offshore wind power in a project tied to Bridgeport that promoters say would boost the economy of Connecticut’s largest city. Vineyard Wind, based in New Bedford, Mass., submitted bids Monday for a 400-megawatt plan and options to develop projects that will generate 800 megawatts, 1,000 megawatts and 1,200 megawatts. The project, known as “Park City Wind,” was submitted to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection . . . Complete story »
Connecticut offshore wind competition kicks off
Hartford – Multiple renewable energy ventures recently entered the competition to provide Connecticut electricity from offshore wind farms. So far, Connecticut’s first selected offshore wind suppliers, Ørsted and Eversource, will compete with Mayflower Wind, a joint venture between Shell New Energies and EDPR Renewables North America, and Vineyard Wind, a pairing of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Renewables. The auction, following the state’s request for proposals in August, stemmed from lawmakers’ and Gov. Ned Lamont’s push for an injection of up . . . Complete story »
