The US offshore power transmission grid developer Anbaric has filed an application with the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to develop its Southern New England OceanGrid offshore transmission project. The project would consist of an offshore power transmission network connecting up to 16 GW of offshore wind capacity to the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Developed in phases over a 20-year period, the project would include direct transmission lines connecting BOEM lease areas to Boston, Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay, Massachusetts' South Coast, and Connecticut.
Offshore wind is gaining momentum in New England. In June 2019, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) of Massachusetts issued its Offshore Wind Study, where it recommends the Massachusetts Electric Distribution Companies to conduct solicitations and procurements for an additional 1,600 MW of offshore wind capacity to be placed in 2022 (800 MW) and 2024 (800 MW); a third solicitation could be held in 2026 if not all the capacity has been awarded. In November 2019, Mayflower Wind, a 50/50 joint venture of Shell and EDPR, was selected to supply 804 MW of offshore wind to Massachusetts. In late August 2019, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) of Connecticut issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of up to 2,000 MW of offshore wind power.
This announcement also follows New Jersey unveiling plans to doubling the state's offshore wind capacity target from 3,500 MW by 2030 (January 2018 target) to 7,500 MW by 2035. In January 2019, the governor of New York announced a new offshore wind capacity target of 9 GW for 2035.