Wind  -  May 23, 2022

Barnstable Adds Offshore Wind

The Town of Barnstable entered into a Host Community Agreement for the Park City Wind project.

The agreement, which will be filed with the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB), represents a key milestone for the project and positions the Town of Barnstable to secure significant local benefits from the continued development of  offshore wind.

 “The Town of Barnstable is proud to continue to play a leadership role in our nation’s transition to clean energy,” said Barnstable Town Manager Mark Ells in a statement. “Hosting a second cable landing in Barnstable has allowed the Commonwealth to continue its efforts to chart a course for clean energy and climate action. The signing of a host community agreement with Park City Wind is a reflection of the strong community support for this clean energy initiative.”

The Park City Wind Host Community Agreement (HCA) is the second offshore wind benefits package signed by the Town of Barnstable and follows the HCA the town signed for Vineyard Wind 1 in 2018. Avangrid Renewables is a 50% joint owner of the Vineyard Wind project, along with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.

Park City Wind is an 800 MW offshore wind project that was awarded a contract with Connecticut in 2019. The project will provide enough clean energy to power approximately 400,000 homes per year and cut GHG by approximately 1.1 million tons annually. Park City Wind is currently engaged in the federal and state permitting process, consulting with tribal and local agencies, including the Barnstable, Edgartown, Nantucket Conservation Commissions, and the Cape Cod Commission. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

As part of the agreement, Avangrid Renewables will pay the town $16 million as a host community fee, above and beyond the applicable commercial taxes that will be assessed by the town.