Politico - State moves forward with 2020 offshore wind procurement, despite uncertainty

ALBANY — The state’s utility regulator authorized a procurement of at least 1,000 megawatts of offshore wind this year, even as there’s uncertainty surrounding federal approvals of projects and economic impacts of the pandemic.

The Public Service Commission on Thursday granted a petition by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to issue a 2020 solicitation, with some modifications to the 2018 process that secured nearly 1,700 megawatts from two projects. The 2020 competitive procurement will pay ratepayer subsidies to support offshore wind projects of at least 1,000 megawatt and up to 2,500 megawatts.

“This is an important step forward,” said Public Service Commission Chairman John Rhodes during Thursday’s PSC meeting. “It’s timely because it preserves for the submitting developers the best access to the best sites and to tax credits and the favorable economic impact that flows from that.”

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