Cape Wind Project Dealt Major Blow

Sadly, what should have been a fantastic way to provide electricity to Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and Cape Cod has turned into a major boondoggle. First, you had several senators, including Democrats Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, doing all they could to block the project. Then the costs escalated well beyond what was originally stated. Then we learned that the power output would be much lower than originally estimated. Now

(Fox News)  An ambitious and controversial push to erect America’s first offshore wind farm has been dealt what some call a potentially “fatal” blow after two utility companies pulled out of commitments to buy energy from the lagging operation.

The $2.6 billion Cape Wind project, a private operation benefiting from millions in federal subsidies, is attempting to pioneer offshore wind energy in pursuit of an eco-friendly, sustainable energy supply. Wind turbines would be installed off the coast of Massachusetts’ Cape Cod in Nantucket Sound.

But Cape Wind is now in limbo after utility companies terminated huge purchase agreements. They pulled out after the project failed to meet two requirements by Dec. 31: to secure financing and begin construction.

The wind farm was relying on NSTAR and National Grid to purchase a combined 77.5 percent of its offshore wind power.

But Greg Sullivan, a former inspector general of Massachusetts who now works at the Pioneer Institute in Boston, said Cape Wind was struggling to find a buyer for the rest of the energy.

“And because they couldn’t do that, they had to let the deadline slip with the utility companies. And they walked,” Sullivan said. “And I would be very doubtful they would come back.”

I’m betting that the people in Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, and Nantucket thought the energy would come directly to them, rather than being sold to the electric company and sent back. That’s they way it was portrayed originally.

Here’s an interesting point

Cape Wind argues the deadline to secure funding should be extended, saying the project was overwhelmed by lawsuits, wasting time needed to meet the requirements.

Pizzi agreed. “If you have to fight something in court for ten years … it’s going to take a lot more time to break even and/or become profitable,” he said.

And where did those suits come from? Democrat Senators and environmentalists. Weird, eh?

 

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5 Responses to “Cape Wind Project Dealt Major Blow”

  1. Hank_M says:

    “And where did those suits come from? Democrat Senators and environmentalists. Weird, eh?”

    Not really. It was going to ruin their view.

    Dems and Enviro-whackos are all for “saving” the planet as long as the things they propose and support do not affect them personally.

  2. John says:

    I lived and fished commercially out ov Martha’s Vineyard
    All of the commercial fishermen thought it was in the wrong place
    It should have been placed east of MV not in the sound
    My commercial fish boat is still there in the hard
    Putting the turbines there would have been deadly in the fog
    The sound is only 6 miles wide between mv and the cape it is the most productive squid fishing area in the world
    Even after being promised lower electric rates the people of mv did not want that project
    And don’t start whimpering about limousine liberals the town I lived in is the poorest in the whole Comonwealth

  3. Interesting, John, because the Coast Guard approved the project multiple times, as did other state and government agencies. One of those approvals had to do with use of radar in the fog.

    Anyhow, the thing is, John, there were all types of opposition. Kerry and Kennedy were against it because it messed with yachting and views. Enviros were concerned with birds (and well they should be). Interestingly, there are almost no Republicans nor Conservatives who are against the project.

  4. Deserttrek says:

    spoiled the views and can’t upset the known abusers the kennedys

  5. Dana says:

    Why, you make it sound like the left are hypocrites, or something!

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