Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ

For Immediate Release:	Contact: Peter Peretzman
Date: 12/11/2020	609-900-5626

Trenton, N.J.—The Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today announced it has received applications from two developers for the State’s second solicitation for offshore wind capacity, which the Board opened in September. This solicitation seeks to award 1,200 MW to 2,400 MW of offshore wind energy, potentially tripling the State’s committed 1,100 MW of capacity. This represents a significant milestone toward achieving Governor Phil Murphy’s goal of 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy in Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ by 2035, which will create thousands of jobs and power millions of homes with clean, renewable energy.

 

“Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ’s growing offshore wind industry will create a welcome economic boon as we continue our state’s recovery from COVID-19,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Developing our offshore wind capabilities allows Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ to build back smarter and stronger, with sustainability and equity at the forefront. As Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ continues to move forward as a national offshore wind leader, we look forward to welcoming a diverse group into this new industry. Expanding our offshore wind industry not only reinforces our commitment to achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2050, but it will also create thousands of jobs that will deliver massive economic growth and put Ó£»¨ÊÓƵans back to work at one of the most critical moments in history.”

 

“Offshore wind has always been a centerpiece of the Murphy Administration’s clean energy ambitions and is even more important now as we face an economic recovery from this devastating pandemic,” said NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso. “Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ is all-in on wind, and as we expand our robust offshore wind program, we need all the lease space we can get in the profitable waters just off Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ’s coast. We look forward to working with the incoming Biden Administration to accomplish this.”

 

NJBPU received bids on December 10 from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind and Ørsted. NJBPU Staff will review the applications with its consultant Levitan and Associates, and the Board anticipates awarding the resulting offshore wind project or projects in June 2021. In 2022 the Board will vote to open a third solicitation for offshore wind of at least 1,200 MW, to continue delivering on Governor Murphy’s forward-looking solicitation schedule.

 

A key component of this solicitation is a requirement that the selected Applicant(s) are to provide $10,000 per MW to the State for research initiatives and the regional monitoring of wildlife and fisheries related to the introduction of offshore wind projects. The funding will be administered by NJBPU and the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), with stakeholder input to aid in the identification and prioritization of regional research and monitoring needs.

 

In September, the Board approved the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Offshore Wind Strategic Plan, a roadmap for building 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy by 2035 and establishing an offshore wind industry that gives Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ residents the best overall value while protecting the environment and commercial and recreational fishing interests.

 

In 2019, Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ made history by awarding the largest single offshore wind solicitation in the country to Ørsted’s 1,100 MW Ocean Wind project to be built 15 miles off the coast of Atlantic City. That project is slated to be operational by 2024. Last month Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ became the first state to align its transmission planning process with its regional grid operator, to identify the most efficient ways to bring 7.5 GW of renewable energy ashore. The State is also a Construction Manager for the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Wind Port in Salem County that will create up to 1,500 jobs and $500 million in new annual economic activity. The WIND Institute will serve as the State’s hub for education, research, innovation, and training to develop the workforce that will build out the region’s offshore wind industry.

 

For more information about Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ’s offshore wind program, please visit .

 

 

About the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)

NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at .

 

About Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)

NJCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State's residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers' energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and its website is .

 

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