Companies seek new terms for offshore wind projects in Cape Cod waters. What do they want?

Three familiar offshore wind projects − and one new one − have emerged as contenders for contracts through the new Massachusetts-Connecticut-Rhode Island multi-state solicitation for offshore wind power.

Wednesday was the deadline for developers to submit proposals for consideration under New England's largest wind power solicitation to date. Offshore wind developers Avangrid Renewables, SouthCoast Wind Energy and Vineyard Offshore all submitted bids.

The power cable landings planned for or considered for Cape Cod beaches, as outlined in the new submissions, are ones already announced by the companies — in Falmouth, at Dowses Beach in Osterville and at Craigville Beach in Centerville.

Cancellation of contracts last fall

Avangrid and SouthCoast last fall cancelled previous contracts in Massachusetts and Connecticut, citing economic reasons that made those agreements no longer financially viable. They are seeking better terms under their new bids. Both companies are presenting iterations of their earlier projects in lease areas south of Martha's Vineyard: Park City Wind, Commonwealth Wind and SouthCoast Wind.

Vineyard Offshore is putting forth a brand new project eyed for the eastern-most lease area 29 miles south of Nantucket. The company is a subsidiary of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, which shares ownership with Avangrid of Vineyard Wind 1 — an 806-megawatt project that has five of 62 planned turbines now fully operational and sending power to the grid via Covell Beach in Centerville.

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration will review bids over the coming months, and coordinate with Connecticut and Rhode Island to evaluate multi-state projects that would increase benefits for the region, lower costs, and enhance project viability," Massachusetts Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony said in a statement.

Decisions are expected to be released on Aug. 9.

What are Avangrid's proposals?

Avangrid, a member of the Iberdrola Group, on Wednesday submitted multiple proposals for the tri-state solicitation, both to the states as a group as well as individually to each state.

The company has renamed its previous projects, Park City Wind and Commonwealth Wind, as New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2. Combined, the projects would deliver a little more than 1,800 megawatts to the ISO New England grid that brings power to the region.

Avangrid Vice President of Development for Offshore Wind Ken Kimmell on Wednesday said the company is promoting its New England Wind 1 project, formerly Park City Wind, as the one closest to putting shovels in the ground. For that reason, one of the company's proposals submitted on Wednesday is for New England Wind 1 only, allowing the states to choose it individually because of its immediacy.

"With nearly all local, state, and federal permits in hand, all interconnection rights secured, and a project labor agreement signed with a skilled, local, union workforce, Avangrid is ready to go," Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra said in a statement.

New England Wind 1 would deliver 791 megawatts, which is less than the 804 megawatts originally proposed.

"It has to do with the grid and what the capacity is of the grid," Kimmell explained. "This is something we worked through carefully with Eversource."

Avangrid's second proposal combines New England Wind 1 with New England Wind 2, formerly called Commonwealth Wind, into a single bid. Like the New England Wind 1 project, New England Wind 2 would bring ashore slightly less power, about 1,079 megawatts, than the originally proposed 1,200 megawatts.

New England Wind 2, which is still proposed to land at Dowses Beach in Centerville, is only offered as a combined project with New England Wind 1 "to capture important economics of scale and support significant grid upgrades," according to Avangrid.

Kimmell said if the New England Wind 1-only bid is selected, the company would expect to re-bid for the second project during a later wind power solicitation.

He said some highlights of the company's plans include an already-signed labor agreement for New England Wind 1, and an associated plan for a new offshore wind marshalling port in Salem — the company is poised to provide $30 million in upfront investment, and $100 million in lease payments to jump-start that development.

What is Vineyard Offshore planning?

Vineyard Offshore is proposing a 1,200-megawatt project with a target of becoming operational in 2031. It would make landfall in New London, Connecticut and interconnect with the New England power grid in Montville, Connecticut.

Like Avangrid, Vineyard Offshore similarly submitted proposals to each state separately, as well as to the three states together.

As part of the bid, the company is also highlighting investments in the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal planned to be the staging site for wind turbine installation, "providing hundreds of union jobs and boosting an emerging offshore wind workforce and supply chain on the North Shore."

Vineyard Offshore additionally plans to source secondary steel components for foundations — internal and external platforms, boat landings, and more — from Riggs Distler & Company, working at its current operation in the port of Providence or at a new site under development in East Providence.

“Our project will deliver more than $2 billion in economic benefits, create opportunities for workers and local businesses, and build on partnerships with local governments, organizations, and institutions across all three states, and we have the local support to show for it," said Vineyard Offshore CEO Alicia Barton in a statement.

What is SouthCoast Wind 1?

SouthCoast Wind Energy, owned by OW Ocean Winds, put in a bid Wednesday for its 1,200-megawatt SouthCoast Wind Project 1. It would land in Portsmouth, Rhode Island and connect to the New England grid at Brayton Point in Somerset, with an aim to deliver first power by 2030.

The company has the capacity to produce up to 2,400 megawatts in its lease area, located more than 30 miles south of the Vineyard and 20 miles south of Nantucket. For the current wind solicitation, though, the company chose to focus on bidding its first 1,200 megawatts because SouthCoast Wind 1 "is well-advanced in its permitting at both the federal and state levels," said SouthCoast Wind Director of External Affairs Rebecca Ullman in an email Wednesday.

The company has a host community agreement with Portsmouth, Rhode Island to land the first 1,200 megawatts there for routing to Brayton Point, with an option for the remaining 1,200 megawatts, if needed.

At present, Falmouth remains an alternative option for eventually landing and connecting the second 1,200 megawatts to the grid; however, "due to uncertainty around ISO-NE grid capacity and the extent and timing of necessary grid upgrades in Falmouth, SouthCoast Wind is looking closely at Brayton Point for delivery of the full lease area capacity of 2,400 megawatts," Ullman said.

If Falmouth is ultimately pursued, though, a landing site on Worcester Avenue at Falmouth Heights would be the preferred landfall, according to Ullman. Central Park and Kite Park have also been investigated.

Heather McCarron can be reached at hmccarron@capecodonline.com, or follow her on X @HMcCarron_CCT

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: New offshore wind pitches for Cape Cod: Dowses Beach, Falmouth Heights