Bay State Wind to Bring USD 1 Billion to Massachusetts, Kick-Start US Offshore Wind Fleet

The proposed Bay State Wind wind farm project will bring USD 1 billion direct investment to Massachusetts and will support the construction of the first purpose-built Jones Act-compliant installation and transportation vessels, the developers said.

Bay State Wind, a partnership between Ørsted and Eversource, is one of three companies to submit a bid in response to the commonwealth’s first Request for Proposals (RFP) for offshore wind energy generation.

Located some 25 miles off of New Bedford, the wind farm will promote and work with local manufacturing firms and will partner with educational institutions to develop and train future offshore wind workforce.

According to Bay State Wind, up to 1,200 new jobs will be created during construction and up to 10,800 direct and indirect jobs over the life of the project.

The wind farm is expected to generate USD 30 million in lease payments, fees and taxes that will support local government functions over the operational lifespan. In addition, it will commit USD 17.5 million to support commonwealth’s cornerstone programs for low income families, the developers said.

New Bedford, where the developers opened an office in November, will serve as the staging area for construction and the O&M base throughout the lifetime of the wind farm.

An onshore substation is planned in Somerset, where the project will deliver its energy to the commonwealth and where the new 55MW battery storage solution will be developed.