Transmission & Grid Interconnection

White House Convenes Governors, Labor Leaders, and Private Companies to Boost Offshore Wind Supply Chains, Lower Energy Costs, and Support Manufacturing Jobs;  Eleven leading states along the East Coast will participate in this new Partnership, a first-of-its-kind forum for collaboration between federal and state officials to accelerate offshore wind progress. This includes mutual commitments to expand key elements of the supply chain, including manufacturing facilities for offshore wind components, port capabilities, logistics networks needed to install projects, and workforce development to fill good-paying jobs...

BOEM seeks public participation in shaping the future of offshore wind energy by inviting comments on its draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed SouthCoast Wind (formerly Mayflower Wind) energy project offshore Massachusetts.   

WETO has published a West Coast Offshore Wind Transmission Literature Review and Gaps Analysis to address challenges facing the interconnecting of large wind farms to coastal substations and transmission infrastructure. 

Abstract: This study aims to understand and quantify the potential impact of offshore wind on a future electricity system in the U.S. Northeast. In this analysis, a detailed representation of the Northeast power system is adopted, using a generation portfolio for 2024 paired with offshore wind nameplate capacities of 0 gigawatts (GW), 2 GW, and 7 GW. The analysis identifies points of offshore wind interconnection in the ISO-New England and New York Independent System Operator control areas and uses hourly wind profiles from the Wind Integration National Dataset Toolkit. Hourly simulations of the 2024 power system operations show an ability to accommodate the prescribed offshore wind capacities by adapting the system's generation dispatch. Curtailment levels of offshore wind range between...

Unitil, National Grid and Eversource Energy are seeking to procure a total of 400 MW of offshore wind energy generation. This solicitation also allows bidders to offer proposals for up to approximately 800 MW, and the companies will consider procuring up to approximately 800 MW if the Evaluation Team determines that a larger-scaled proposal is both superior to other proposals submitted in response to this RFP and is likely to produce significantly more economic net benefits to ratepayers based on the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP. To support development of the offshore wind energy market, the companies are seeking proposals that include expandable, nondiscriminatory, open-access offshore transmission facilities for the efficient delivery of their power to the Onshore Transmission System.

This revised RFP addresses the definition of "Offshore Delivery Facilities" as well as spelling, grammar, and spacing issues.

Unitil, National Grid and Eversource Energy are seeking to procure a total of 400 MW of offshore wind energy generation. This solicitation also allows bidders to offer proposals for up to approximately 800 MW, and the companies will consider procuring up to approximately 800 MW if the Evaluation Team determines that a larger-scaled proposal is both superior to other proposals submitted in response to this RFP and is likely to produce significantly more economic net benefits to ratepayers based on the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP. To support development of the offshore wind energy market, the companies are seeking proposals that include expandable, nondiscriminatory, open-access offshore transmission facilities for the efficient delivery of their power to the Onshore Transmission System.

Offshore wind energy will play an important role in helping New York State achieve its clean energy goals. To develop this valuable resource responsibly and thoughtfully, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is crafting an Offshore Wind Master Plan to outline the State’s comprehensive offshore wind strategy. NYSERDA is issuing an RFP to establish a pool of qualified contractors to assist with the development of the Offshore Wind Master Plan and associated offshore wind energy activities in New York. Proposals are due by Jan. 12, 2017.

The purpose is to assess the estimated economic impact of a 40 MW demonstration offshore wind farm off South Carolina, including electric rate impacts.

From the Introduction and Overview: "This report was prepared to make certain that the Commission's offshore wind procurement, evaluation, and selection process (i) is as fair, transparent, and workable as possible, (ii) leads to robust and competitive bids, and (iii) preserves the ratepayer protections defined in the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013."