The deal was reached as part of an agreement that allowed NSTAR to merge with Northeast Utilities. Two years ago, Massachusetts regulators approved Cape Wind’s contract to sell 50 percent of its power to National Grid. According to the company, these combined power purchase agreements are sufficient for construction to begin.

The three hearings will be held in Natick, MA, on May 22, Barnstable, MA, on May 23 and Boston on May 30.

Delaware Official Backs Transmission Backbone

Delaware Natural Resourcs Secretary Collin O’Mara said the Atlantic Wind Connection offshore wind transmission backbone could be a boon to the region even without a local offshore wind project, the Wilmington News-Journal reported today.

Bluewater Wind had planned a project off the Delaware coast, but that project was scuttled late last year.

According to the report, O’Mara said the project could bring down electricity rates. He also cautioned, however, that more negotiation was needed with regional grid operator PJM Interconnection.

The deal is for 27.5 percent of Cape Wind’s output, according to the report.

Initially reluctant, NStar officials agreed to purchase Cape Wind power in exchange for the state’s approval of a proposed merger with Northeast Utilities.

“We know that it will take a diversified approach using all available renewable resources to meet the state’s climate change goals,’’ NStar spokeswoman Caroline Pretyman said.

Maryland Rally for Offshore Wind

Maryland activists surrounded the Statehouse and cheered Gov. Martin O’Malley’s call for offshore wind, the Washington Post reported today.

The governor’s offshore wind legislation was approved by the House of Delegates and is now in front of the Senate Finance Committee.

“It’s very, very important that you talk with [lawmakers] and that you ask them to support wind power now,” O’Malley said.

According to BOEM, the task force was established to open lines of communication between the bureau and state, local, Native Hawaiian and other federal stakeholders.

“BOEM created this task force at Governor Abercrombie’s request to coordinate and consult with the State of Hawaii and others on potential renewable energy activities on the OCS offshore Hawaii,” said BOEM Director Tommy Beaudreau. “Working closely with stakeholders will allow us to identify and address issues relating to future offshore renewable energy leasing and development in a way that is smart from the start and supports Hawaii’s clean energy goals.”

BOEM had previously convened task forces in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Scientists Want to Study Long Term Effect of Offshore Wind Noise

Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts are questioning the long term effect of offshore wind noise on fisheries, the Vineyard Gazette of Martha’s Vineyard reported on Friday.

“The long-term impacts of these wind farms are just totally unknown,” said Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution biologist Scott Gallagher.

Offshore Wind Wire: Cape Wind recently achieved a significant breakthrough with a tentative agreement for a merged regional utility to buy electricity from the project. The deal means you have buyers for 77.5 percent of the energy output. Is this sufficient to move forward with financing and project development? What is the plan for locating buyers for the remaining electricity?

Jim Gordon: Governor Patrick and NSTAR’s announcement that NSTAR will purchase a considerable portion of Cape Wind’s power represents a big win for the people of Massachusetts and brings closer the new jobs, cleaner air, and greater energy independence Cape Wind will provide.  We are ready to commence the project financing stage.  Meanwhile we will continue pursuing opportunities to market and sell the remaining power.

OWW: When do you expect to begin construction? And when do you expect to begin operation?

Gordon: We expect to begin construction in 2013.  Construction will take 2 ½ years.

OWW:   Last week, Deputy Interior Department Secretary David Hayes said he does not want Cape Wind to be the template for US offshore wind development. Has the federal government done enough to avoid another decade-long permitting saga?

Gordon: I am proud of the role that Cape Wind has played in helping the nation develop a regulatory framework for reviewing offshore wind farms so that they can be approved in much shorter time than was the case for us.

OWW: Given the vast experience you’ve accumulated in offshore wind, are you planning to develop other projects after Cape Wind?

Gordon: By building and successfully operating Cape Wind, America’s first utility scale offshore wind farm, we at EMI will be in a position to be one of the nation’s leading offshore wind developers and yes we will certainly pursue other opportunities.  Offshore wind power is too important to the United States to be limited to one project or a few projects, the potential is to build tens of gigawatts in the years to come.  I’m very excited to move forward.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced that it reduced the size of the offshore Wind Energy Area between Rhode Island and Massachusetts by excluding commercially important fishing grounds.

The reduced Wind Energy Area includes approximately 164,750 acres within the original area identified by Rhode Island and Massachusetts in a 2010 memorandum of understanding.

The area is one of several along the Atlantic coast with high wind potential that BOEM is evaluating for commercial wind leasing.

“Today’s announcement is an important step toward development of our nation’s remarkable wind energy resource offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts,” said Department of Interior Deputy Secretary David Hayes. “The Department will continue to do its part to build a world-class offshore wind industry that provides clean, reliable, home-grown power and the American jobs that come with it.”

The Wind Energy Area will be identified and permitted under the Department of the Interior’s “Smart from the Start” wind energy initiative. BOEM’s decision to remove certain commercial fishing grounds from the proposed Wind Energy Area comes as a result of extensive meetings with the regional fishing industry over the past two years. Other key considerations that will be further analyzed in the environmental assessment include the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale, vessel traffic and visual and cultural resources.

Earlier this week, Offshore Wind Development Coalition President Jim Lanard called the Right Whale the most significant environmental challenge facing the industry. He added, however, that the challenge can be overcome with due environmental diligence.

“BOEM identified this Wind Energy Area following extensive collaboration with Rhode Island, Massachusetts and a diverse set of stakeholders, including fishing interests,” said BOEM Director Tommy Beaudreau. “This milestone is ‘Smart from the Start’ because it will help ensure that offshore wind projects are sited in the right places, where the wind energy potential is significant and where environmental effects and potential conflicts with other uses can be minimized and managed.”

According to a press release sent Thursday evening, BOEM Deputy Director Walter Cruickshank and BOEM Renewable Energy Program Manager Maureen Bornholdt will discuss the announcement with stakeholders in a Friday afternoon call.

Bordholdt has been the Bureau’s point person for community relations in the region over the past two years. She has met repeatedly with the fishing community in New Bedford, MA, affluent residents of Martha’s Vineyard and state and industry leaders in Boston to explain federal offshore wind plans and to gather feedback.

[Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article indicated that the announcement would be made during the 4 pm call and that the call was open to the public. BOEM officials have clarified that the call is a "stakeholder" discussion only.]

The agreement is a major breakthrough for Cape Wind, which has an agreement to sell 50 percent of its output to National Grid but has struggled to find a buyer for the remaining electricity.

“Today’s announcement by Governor Patrick represents a major step forward in making Massachusetts a leader in offshore wind power,” said Cape Wind President Jim Gordon. “By including Cape Wind in this utility merger Settlement Agreement, NSTAR and the Patrick Administration are helping ensure that Cape Wind will supply up to 500,000 homes with locally harvested renewable energy and create hundreds of new jobs.”

The agency is also seeking public comment regarding an environmental assessment that must be undertaken before any leases can be issued in the area. The assessment is mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act.

“BOEM recognizes the proactive steps that the commonwealth has taken to encourage environmentally sound offshore wind energy development and we are working together to refine a suitable Wind Energy Area off the coast of Massachusetts,” said BOEM Director Tommy Beaudreau. “We will follow marine spatial planning principles as we continue to gather information and coordinate with other OCS users throughout the leasing process.”

According to a BOEM press release, the Call Area under consideration is located off the coast of Massachusetts beginning approximately 12 nautical miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 13 nautical miles southwest of Nantucket. From its northern boundary, the Call Area extends 33 nautical miles southward to the 60 meter depth contour and has an east/west extent of approximately 47 nautical miles. The Call Area is approximately 826,241 acres and contains 132 whole OCS lease blocks as well as 19 partial blocks.

BOEM plans to conduct information sessions in Massachusetts during the comment period to explain the commercial leasing process and provide additional opportunities for public input on the scope of the Environmental Assessment. Details will be posted on BOEM’s website:  http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-0Activities/Massachusetts.aspx.

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.’’

The January 3 report said that “the ISO and its consultants … have determined that it is unlikely that the project will achieve Commercial Operation” by June 1, 2015.

The company disagreed with the ISO New England assessment.

“We think it is very likely we’ll be online by June 2015, either in whole or in part,” said Cape Wind Vice President Dennis Duffy.

Atlantic City Project Aims For 2013 Commissioning

Fishermen’s Energy vice president and senior counsel Paul Gallagher said yesterday that his company’s Atlantic City offshore wind project is almost ready to begin construction, the Press of Atlantic City reported today.

Construction is waiting on a decision in March from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on the sale of the project’s electricity.

“We have arranged our financing, selected our turbines and lined up our contractors … We are, in what Obamaspeak refers to, as ‘shovel ready,’” Gallagher said. The decision in March “will allow us to put steel in the water next summer (2013), with turbines installed in August and power being generated by Labor Day 2013.”

Maryland Rallies For Offshore Wind

Over 100 protesters rallied at the Maryland statehouse this week to urge state lawmakers to support Gov. Martin O’Malley’s offshore wind plan, the Huffington Post reported.