CT, RI sue over federal offshore wind work orders

Connecticut and Rhode Island are suing the Trump administration over orders to halt work on offshore wind developments.

The federal orders demand work cease on Revolution Wind, located off the Rhode Island coast. It is expected to power 350,000 New England homes and if construction continues unabated, it would be operational by next year.

Jamie Dickerson, senior director of climate and clean energy programs at the Acadia Center, said the work stoppage could raise consumer costs.

“The projects, as they were supposed to come online, would have substantially hedged the region against those volatile winter fuel costs,” Dickerson explained. “Because the offshore wind contracts are at a fixed price, it reduced the amount the region would otherwise have to pay for more expensive fossil fuels.”

A new study showed offshore wind has the potential to save New England residents $400 million a year in energy costs. It comes as Connecticut has the third-highest electricity costs nationwide. The federal action also halts grants for ports to be developed into offshore wind ports. Bridgeport will lose a $10.5 million grant allocated in 2022 for the construction of an operations, maintenance and wind facility.

The effects of the federal order go beyond ratepayers’ cost, affecting state economies as well. Connecticut and Rhode Island saw an additional 1,200 jobs from the Revolution Wind project. Dickerson pointed out not just about the jobs at the port but indirect jobs stemming from the burgeoning industry.

“The fishermen and the mariners, and the navigators who have been benefiting from the ripple effect investments of these offshore wind project developments, shuttling workers to and from ports to the staging facilities and the vessels offshore,” Dickerson outlined.

Studies have shown Connecticut has significant potential for being a hub for the offshore wind supply chain. Aside from the federal challenges, the state has shown some wavering commitment to clean energy. Gov. Ned Lamont pulled Connecticut from a multistate offshore wind deal last year and a natural gas pipeline expansion is being given preliminary approval.

To read the full article from Public News Service, click here.