Vineyard Wind Clears One More Hurdle

Massachusetts has passed legislation which would allow an easement for a part of Covell’s Beach to be used for the construction of an interconnection for the Vineyard Wind project.

According to Vineyard Wind, the bipartisan legislation authorizes the Barnstable Town Council to grant the easement that will allow the construction of the interconnection between the 800MW wind farm and the New England power grid.

“Following more than a year of close collaboration between Barnstable and Vineyard Wind, we’re grateful for the efforts of Cape Cod lawmakers to enact bipartisan legislation that allows for construction of America’s first large-scale offshore wind farm,” said Erich Stephens, Chief Development Officer for Vineyard Wind.

“With the easement, Vineyard Wind can move forward with a program that features minimally invasive burial techniques 30 feet below the tideline with no disruption to the shoreline.”

The legislative vote follows a Host Community Agreement (HCA) between the Town of Barnstable and Vineyard Wind, which was unanimously supported by the Barnstable Town Council in October last year.

Vineyard Wind and the Town of Barnstable are also collaborating to help Barnstable’s sewer needs by co-locating sewer infrastructure in conjunction with project construction.

The legislation is co-sponsored by Massachusetts Senator Julian Cyr and Rep. William L. Crocker.

“The landing of the Vineyard Wind underwater transmission cable in Centerville will bring clean renewable electricity for thousands of local homes and businesses, and further establish our region on the leading edge of a clean energy future,” said Senator Cyr.

“Swift action on this legislation has been a priority for the entire Cape and Islands legislative delegation. With our vote, the Town of Barnstable will receive significant financial benefits and electric infrastructure improvements as a result of the project’s landing site.”

Scheduled to be operational in 2021, Vineyard Wind will comprise 84 MHI Vestas 9.5MW turbines installed some 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. The construction of the offshore wind farm is planned to start this year.