Neighbor News
Falmouth Offshore Wind Contract Postponements 2019 thru 2025
Southcoast Wind, aka Mayflower Wind, started negotiations in 2019
In 2019, Falmouth was identified as a potential location for SouthCoast Wind’s onshore electrical infrastructure and connection to the regional grid. SouthCoast Wind was formerly known as Mayflower Wind.
Local government agencies wanted to be involved in the process of a financial gain from a community host agreement between SouthCoast Wind and the Town of Falmouth.
In 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities 2023 allowed SouthCoast Wind to terminate all offshore wind contracts and start all over again. The contract dates for offshore wind projects in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have been postponed due to inflation, higher interest rates, and supply chain issues.The Massachusetts 83C offshore wind energy new procurement was originally issued as Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities Mass DPU 23-42 on May 31, 2023, over two years ago.
Find out what's happening in Falmouthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The execution of contracts has been extended from November 7, 2024, to January 15, 2025, then to March 31, 2025, and subsequently to June 30, 2025.
Contract postponements were attributed to inflation, higher interest rates, and supply chain issues of the Biden Administration's renewable energy bill.
Find out what's happening in Falmouthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
. On January 24, 2025, President Donald Trump put a hold on reviewing these projects. A Trump executive order temporarily pauses leases and permits for offshore and onshore wind projects. Soaring costs are causing some offshore wind projects to be delayed or halted.
Since January 2016, there has been an increase in humpback whale deaths along the Atlantic coast due to wind projects, and this trend is expected to continue until 2025.
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Note: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Letter: Extension To June 30, 2025
https://macleanenergy.com/2025/03/31/section-83c-round-iv-update-on...
March 31, 2025
The 83C Round 4 Evaluation Team is notifying stakeholders that the Electric Distribution Companies have filed a letter with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities regarding a change in the anticipated contract execution date. The contracting parties have not yet completed their contract negotiations and are now targeting the completion of negotiations and execution of contracts with the two counterparties on or before June 30, 2025.
