Amendment #102 to H4912

Amendment to provide an enhanced offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth.

Mrs. Haddad of Somerset moves to amend the bill, as amended, by inserting the following new section:

Section XX

SECTION 21. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of energy resources shall investigate the necessity, benefits and costs of requiring distribution companies, as defined in section 1 of chapter of the General Laws, to jointly and

competitively conduct additional offshore wind generation solicitations and procurements of up to approximately 1,600 megawatts of aggregate nameplate capacity, in addition to the solicitations and procurements required by section 83C of chapter of the acts of 2008, as amended by chapter 188 of the acts of 2016, and may require said additional solicitations and procurements by December 31, 2035.;

(b) The department of energy resources shall determine cumulative offshore wind capacity required to achieve net zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and competitively solicit and procure proposals for offshore wind energy transmission that enable achievement of net zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions through delivery of offshore wind energy from designated wind energy areas for which a federal lease was issued on or after January 1, 2012 that shall be developed independent of such offshore wind energy generation; provided further, that such transmission service shall be made available for use by more than 1 wind energy generation project; shall prioritize repurposing sites of retired power plants; and

Shall not exceed the generation capacity authorized 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.

(c) Prior to undertaking any additional solicitations and procurements beyond those required by section 83C of chapter 169 of the acts of 2008, as amended by chapter 188 of the acts of 2016, the department shall evaluate previous solicitation and procurement processes, including any reports of the independent evaluator, and shall make recommendations to the general court that include: (i) any improvements to the solicitation and procurement process; (ii) an evaluation of the necessity of additional solicitations and procurements, as outlined in subsection (a), to meet the commonwealth’s energy policy goals, including the goals of chapter 169 and chapter 298 of the acts of 2008 and the net zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit for 2050; (iii) any amount of recommended solicitations and procurements beyond those required by said section 83C of chapter 169 of the Acts of 2008, as amended by said chapter 188 of the acts of 2016, if applicable, provided that said recommendations do not exceed the amount in subsection (a); (iv) an evaluation of the impact of 191additional procurements, as outlined in subsection (a), on ratepayers, including distribution customers; and (v) any potential economic benefits; provided, further that any additional solicitations conducted pursuant to this section shall be subject to the required solicitation and procurement process of said section 83C of chapter 169 of the Acts of 2008, as amended by said chapter 188 of the Acts of 2016. The department shall file the report with the house and senate clerks and the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy no later than July 31, 2021

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #102 to H4912

Amendment to provide an enhanced offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth.