National Grid submitted an updated power purchase agreement with Deepwater Wind last week. Should the PUC approve it?

By PBN Staff

National Grid has filed a new contract to purchase electricity from a planned wind farm off the coast of Block Island developed by Deepwater Wind.

But the price for electricity remains essentially the same as in the contract that was rejected by the R.I. Public Utilities Commission in March, although there are provisions in the new agreement that call for the price to be dropped should there be cost savings in the construction of the facility.

Does the goal of developing renewable energy resources and the potential to build a wind energy industry in the state outweigh the high cost of the electricity relative to the current cost of power derived from fossil fuels?