Amendment ID: S2545-13-R1

Redraft Amendment 13

Offshore Wind Energy Transmission

Mr. Tarr moves that the proposed new draft be amended by inserting after section 19 the following 3 sections:-

“SECTION 19A. Section 83B of chapter 169 of the acts of 2008, inserted by section 12 of chapter 188 of the acts of 2016, is hereby amended by adding the following definition:-

“Offshore wind energy transmission”, transmission that delivers electricity from offshore wind energy generation to the transmission system on the mainland.

“Offshore wind energy transmission developer”, a provider of electric transmission for offshore wind energy generation.

SECTION 19B.  Subsection (b) of section 83C of said chapter 169, as appearing in said section 12 of said chapter 188, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 16 and 17, the words “; provided, however” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-  and may specify that the distribution companies in coordination with the department of energy resources may competitively procure and that the distribution companies may select any proposals for offshore wind energy transmission sufficient to deliver energy generation procured pursuant to this section from designated wind energy areas for which an initial federal lease was issued on a competitive basis after January 1, 2012 that may be developed independent of such offshore wind energy generation; provided, however, that such transmission service shall be made available for use by more than 1 wind energy generation project and shall not exceed the generation capacity required by this section; provided further, that any selection of offshore wind energy transmission shall be the most cost-effective mechanism for procuring reliable, low-cost offshore wind energy transmission service for ratepayers in the commonwealth; and provided further.

SECTION 19C.  Subsection (d) of said section 83C of said chapter 169, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “bid”, in line 11, the following words :-  or independently as offshore wind energy transmission.”