Offshore Wind Wire

Duke Energy is planning a $670,000 study on the transmission capacity required to develop offshore wind near North Carolina, the Charlotte Business Journal reported Friday.

The project would be supported by up to $530,000 in Energy Department funding, according to the report.

Maryland Labor Groups Want Guarantees

Maryland labor groups are asking for guaranteed involvement in offshore wind development in exchange for their support on Gov. Martin O’Malley’s resubmitted plans, the Baltimore Sun reported Friday.

“There’s got to be something written in the bill to include organized labor for us to totally commit to the project,” said Rod Easter, president of the Baltimore Building & Construction Trades Council. “We cannot be standing on the curb watching people go to work who don’t live in Maryland.”

Former Congressman In Spotlight For Consulting Work

Former Massachusetts congressman William Delahunt’s office denied any conflict of interest in consulting work on an offshore wind project for which he also earmarked federal funds, the Boston Globe reported.

Delahunt helped the town of Hull receive $1.7 million in federal funds for an offshore wind project and recently received a $72,000 contract to provide strategic guidance on the same issue.

“I think what’s been spun out there is that somehow we’ve been hired by the town to lobby, and that’s not true,’’ said Mark Forest, executive director of The Delahunt Group. “We’re not lobbying; we’re providing guidance and counsel to the town … we’ve had a lot of experience in this area. And our hope is that there is something productive that can be done in this area.’’