The Massachusetts electric distribution companies have, in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of up to 800MW of offshore wind capacity.
This is the second offshore wind solicitation in Massachusetts and is part of a staggered procurement schedule developed to ensure that the distribution companies enter into contracts for offshore wind energy generation equal to approximately 1,600MW of aggregate nameplate capacity not later than 30 June 2027.
Under the terms of the RFP, bidders are allowed to offer proposals from 200MW up to approximately 800MW, and the distribution companies will consider procuring up to approximately 800MW if the evaluation team determines that a larger-scaled proposal is both superior to other proposals submitted in response to this RFP and is likely to produce more economic net benefits to ratepayers based on the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFP.
The interested bidders will have until 9 August to submit confidential proposals and until 16 August to submit their public proposals. The winner or winners of the solicitation will be announced by 8 November and the long-term contracts are expected to be negotiated and executed by 13 December.
The long-term contracts will be submitted to the Department of Public Utilities for approval by 10 January 2020.