Rhode Island Energy says it won’t move forward on a power-purchase agreement for a joint Ørsted and Eversource proposal to build a major offshore wind project in the waters off Rhode Island, in part because it would be too expensive for customers. The utility made the announcement on July 18 in finding that the Revolution Wind 2 proposal didn’t meet all the requirements under state law, including a requirement “to reduce energy costs.”
The utility said the decision came after a four-month evaluation of the proposal. The evaluation happened in consultation with the state Office of Energy Resources and Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, according to Rhode Island Energy.
Back home in New Jersey, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (NJ District 2) applauded Rhode Island for rejecting an expensive and aggressive proposal for an expansive offshore wind project in the state that did not include enough economic benefits relative to the cost.
“Unlike the state of New Jersey, where Governor Murphy and state Democrats have opened their arms to the idea of foreign-owned companies industrializing the coast of New Jersey at the expense of ratepayers, Rhode Island carefully evaluated how the projects would cost the state and its people and have made the right decision to reject the proposed offshore wind project,” Rep. Van Drew said, adding “New Jersey ratepayers, however, watched as Governor Murphy bailed out Orsted in order for Ocean Wind 1 to move forward, and then not even a week later, Orsted announced that it would be suing Cape May County constituents over ‘permitting delays.’
Rep. Van Drew called on Governor Murphy to stand up for his citizens and say no to industrial offshore wind as Rhode Island did. “Rhode Island’s constituents were put first. New Jersey constituents have been put last; all at the expense of individuals in our state who stand to profit off these projects,” Rep. Van Drew said, adding “We know that these windfarms will have detrimental effects to our state’s tourism, we know that ratepayers will be footing the bill to bail out these foreign-owned companies, and we know New Jerseyans overwhelmingly do not want these projects.”
