Deepwater Wind submits wind farm proposal

DEEPWATER Wind submitted its proposal to the U.S. Department of Interior to build a wind farm off the Rhode Island coast and has plans to submit another proposal for a New York wind farm, the company said Friday. / COURTESY DEEPWATER WIND
DEEPWATER Wind submitted its proposal to the U.S. Department of Interior to build a wind farm off the Rhode Island coast and has plans to submit another proposal for a New York wind farm, the company said Friday. / COURTESY DEEPWATER WIND

PROVIDENCE — Deepwater Wind has submitted its proposal to the U.S. Department of Interior to build a wind farm off the Rhode Island coast and has plans to submit another proposal for a New York wind farm, the company said Friday.
The Providence-based company has spent more than three years drafting a plan to construct a 1,000-megawatt wind farm of the Rhode Island coast.
The Department of Interior set an Oct. 3 deadline for companies to submit their proposals.
In August the department announced that it would start soliciting proposals for wind farms.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he aimed to issue a lease as soon as next year.
Meaghan Wims, a Deepwater spokeswoman, confirmed on Friday that Deepwater had submitted the proposal by the deadline and has plans to submit a proposal for the New York project.
The New York effort is part of Interior’s “Smart from the Start” offshore wind energy initiative to spur rapid and responsible leasing and construction of new wind projects. Salazar and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement Director Michael R. Bromwich announced the initial steps to develop commercial wind energy on the Outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in August.
Deepwater is not alone in seeking a lease for a part of ocean between Martha’s Vineyard and Block Island. On Aug. 18, Massachusetts-based Neptune Wind announced it would seek a lease to construct a 500-megawatt wind farm.
Separately, Deepwater last month said it would submit a bid to build a large offshore wind farm to serve southeastern New York. The New York Power Authority filed a application with the U.S. Department of the Interior to lease an off shore site at least 13 miles south of New York City and the western end of Long Island. It also announced that it will conduct a competition to select a developer to build a utility-scale offshore wind farm up to 700 megawatts of power at that site.
“This is tremendously exciting news for New York and for the entire renewable energy industry,” William M. Moore, Deepwater Wind’s CEO said at the time. “We congratulate the state of New York for taking this bold and important step to advance offshore wind development.

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