Storm Freezes Maryland Offshore Wind Hearings

Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) has cancelled hearings on proposed offshore wind projects scheduled for Tuesday, 14 March, after a severe winter storm closed the state agency’s offices.

Maryland PSC will provide an update on offshore wind hearings scheduled for Wednesday, 15 March, later today.

The hearings are to be held every work day from 15 March to 24 March, followed by the first of two public hearings on two offshore wind projects, proposed by US Wind and Deepwater Wind.

The second public hearing is scheduled for 30 March.

The two developers are competing for the state’s the USD 1.9 billion Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credit (OREC).

US Wind plans to build a 750MW offshore wind farm some 15 miles off Ocean City. The wind farm will comprise 187 turbines, installed in 20-30 meters water depth.

If approved, the project is anticipated to come online in early 2020, with an operational life expectancy of more than 25 years.

Deepwater Wind filed an OREC application for the 120MW Skipjack wind farm project located some 17 nautical miles northeast of Ocean City.

Maryland PSC must approve or deny the proposed offshore wind project applications no later than 17 May, 2017.