July 16, 2023 — A significant Massachusetts offshore energy project faces additional headwinds following a decision Thursday by a Rhode Island state agency to not issue an approval for power transmission lines to run from the turbine farm through Ocean State waters.
SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC, formerly known as Mayflower Wind Energy LLC, wants to develop an offshore lease area in federal waters about 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. The company intends to build 147 giant turbines that will generate more than 2,400 megawatts of power for Massachusetts. SouthCoast is a joint venture comprised of Shell Renewables and Energy Solutions and Engie and EDP Renewables.
SouthCoast had proposed two transmission cable corridors to run from the turbines off the Vineyard. One of the cable corridors runs through Rhode Island waters before making landfall in Massachusetts at Falmouth and Brayton Point, while the other corridor is Massachusetts waters.
SouthCoast needed approval from the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board before it could proceed with construction of the transmission cable corridor that would snake through Rhode Island.