SOMERSET – The former coal plant at Brayton Point could serve as the interconnection point for 1,200 megawatts of wind-powered energy projected to create $81 million in economic development along the Massachusetts south coast, developers for Mayflower Wind announced in a press release on Thursday.
The offshore wind project slated for federal waters between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket this month submitted multiple options for power supply to Massachusetts energy companies in response to a state bidding process, the largest of which calls for 1,200 megawatts of power.
The larger bid would be accompanied by an estimated $81 million in jobs, infrastructure and other economic development along southern Massachusetts, connected via the former Brayton Point Power Station in Somerset.
The exact number of jobs created or other local investments during construction was not available, though the wind farm is expected to include 360 full-time operation and maintenance positions once completed, according to information on the project website.
“Mayflower Wind is committed to Massachusetts and the south coast,” Michael Brown, company CEO, said in a statement. “The bids we submitted were formulated after months of conversations with local stakeholders who shared with us their vision for the future of the offshore wind industry. We took those conversations very seriously and developed packages that incorporate their feedback and support each of their diverse groups.”
Mayflower Wind in May announced an agreement with Anbaric Development Partners to use transmission systems to connect the 804-megawatt wind project to the former power plant at Brayton Point. The agreement and new economic development funding is intended to transform the former coal plant, which ceased operations in 2017, into a clean energy hub that brings energy to Massachusetts’ southern coast, project partners stated at the time.
The estimated $81 million impact is in addition to the cost to house an operations and maintenance port for the project at Fall River’s Borden & Remington Ironworks complex. Mayflower Wind has also leased office space in Fall River, expected to be open in October, for local operations and public information and outreach.
Mayflower Wind has also signed a lease agreement to utilize the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal as the primary staging and deployment base during the project’s construction.
“Mayflower Wind has shown a willingness to work with local institutions across the south coast, bringing the promise of jobs and the presence of a new industry to Fall River, while working with local businesses and companies that are the economic and educational pillars of our community,” State Sen. Michael J. Rodrigues, D-Westport, said in a statement. “With a commitment to invest time, effort and resources in our region, Mayflower’s proposal to establish their planned base of operations in Fall River is representative of the tangible economic benefit that our region has been seeking from our Commonwealth’s growing offshore wind industry.”
Mayflower Wind is a joint venture between Shell Energies US LLC and Ocean Winds and is expected to supply over 2,000 megawatts of energy once completed in the mid-2020s. The exact location and scope of the project is still being determined, but it is expected to include connection points in Falmouth and Somerset, Massachusetts.
Correction: A previous version of this story inaccurately identified the area of impact of a potential $81 million in economic development from the Mayflower Wind project. Specific locations were not immediately identified, however, the company said that the project could generate the economic impact along the Massachusetts south coast.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.