Section 72

Section 72 Offshore Wind 1

Chapter 227 of the acts of 2018 is hereby amended by striking out section 21 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

section 21. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of energy resources shall require distribution companies, as defined in section 1 of chapter 164 of the General Laws, to jointly and competitively conduct offshore wind generation solicitations and procurements and enter into cost-effective long-term contracts equal to approximately 1,600 megawatts of aggregate nameplate capacity not later than June 30, 2027; provided, however, that any solicitations conducted pursuant to this section shall be subject to the required solicitation and procurement process of section 83C of chapter 169 of the acts of 2008, inserted by section 12 of chapter 188 of the acts of 2016. As part of any solicitations and procurements authorized by this section, the department of energy resources may also require distribution companies to jointly and competitively solicit and procure proposals for offshore wind energy transmission sufficient to deliver energy generation procured pursuant to this section from designated wind energy areas for which a federal lease was issued on or after January 1, 2012 that may be developed independent of such offshore wind energy generation. Such transmission service shall be made available for use by more than 1 wind energy generation project and shall not exceed the generation capacity authorized by this section. Any selection of offshore wind energy transmission shall be the most cost-effective mechanism for procuring reliable, low-cost offshore wind energy transmission service for ratepayers in the commonwealth. Solicitations and procurements authorized pursuant to this section shall be included in the total solicitations and procurements required by said section 83C of said chapter 169.