By Bethany Hooper

Associate Editor

A proposal from US Wind to expand its project off Maryland’s coast will be the subject of a public hearing later this month.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, the Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a virtual hearing on US Wind’s request to revise and expand its offshore wind project, located in federal waters roughly 10 miles from Ocean City’s shoreline.

The proposal comes five months after Gov. Wes Moore signed House Bill 1296 into law, facilitating the evaluation and approval of revised offshore wind projects.

“In its review of US Wind’s application, the commission will evaluate the project’s environmental, health, and economic benefits, as well as the bill’s impacts to Maryland utility ratepayers,” a notice reads.

Earlier this year, Danish company Ørsted announced plans to reposition its Skipjack Wind project, which was set to bring a 966-megawatt project off the Delmarva coastline.

To that end, legislation – cross-filed as House Bill 1296 and Senate Bill 1161 – was introduced during the 2024 General Assembly session, requiring the Maryland Public Service Commission to open a revised round-two proceeding and authorize certain offshore wind projects to submit revised plans for project schedules, sizes and pricing, among other things.

“Revisions outlined in House Bill 1296 seeks to streamline the approval process for revised project schedules and pricing, ensure the project is located in the authorized wind energy area, and those possessing offshore wind renewable energy credits can move forward expeditiously,” Del. C.T. Wilson (D-28), the bill’s sponsor, said in a hearing last winter. “Moreover, the bill does not restart the process for the projects. Merely, it allows limited alterations to already approved plans, including the adjustment to turbine placement, generating capacity, installation dates and pricing within the existing statutory limits.”

From the outset, officials with Worcester County Government and the Town of Ocean City have opposed the legislation, arguing the bill would increase the state’s subsidy to US Wind and increase the cost to ratepayers. Supporters, however, said the bill would allow offshore wind developers to overcome economic challenges and meet scheduling and pricing requirements set by state law.

A virtual hearing on US Wind’s revised project is now scheduled for Oct. 16, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The livestream can be found on the Maryland Public Service Commission’s YouTube Channel, and those wishing to speak must email kimberly.schock@maryland.gov by noon on Friday, Oct. 11. Participants will receive an email with a link to the online platform.

“In the first two offshore wind rounds (2017 and 2021), US Wind was awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits (ORECs) to support projects of more than 1,056 MW,” the notice reads. “In what is known as a Revised Round 2 proceeding, US Wind’s application seeks the authority for a 1,710 MW build-out of its entire federal lease area. 840 MW is proposed for OREC Round 1 and 870 MW is proposed for OREC Round 2. This new combined project increases the total capacity of US Wind’s Maryland offshore wind portfolio by more than 600 MW, and absorbs the capacity left over when, in January of this year, Skipjack Offshore Energy LLC relinquished the ORECs it had been awarded in the first two rounds.”

In addition to the virtual hearing, the Maryland Public Service Commission will accept written comments, which can be sent by mail, or electronically through the commission’s online portal, by Nov. 1. Mail can be addressed to Andrew Johnston, Executive Secretary, Maryland Public Service Commission, William Donald Schaefer Tower, 6 St. Paul Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. All comments should reference Case No. 9666.