Avangrid signals fed clearance for two Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut wind projects

Chris Lisinski

A proposed offshore wind installation that could help power Massachusetts and its neighbors cleared another milestone Monday as state officials inch closer to selecting the next round of projects.

Avangrid announced it received full federal approval of the construction and operations plan for its New England Wind 1 and 2 projects. Building off the record of decision federal regulators issued in April, Avangrid said the latest step “largely completes the federal, state and local permitting process” for the 791-megawatt first phase of New England Wind.

Avangrid proposed New England Wind 1 plus another 1,080 megawatt New England Wind 2 project this spring when Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut jointly solicited more offshore wind power.

Massachusetts regulators must select projects to advance to contract negotiations by Aug. 7. Each of the three states can pick projects alone or in combination with each other.

Avangrid said if New England Wind 1 is selected, construction could begin next year and power could begin to flow by 2029.

Vineyard Wind, the first offshore wind project to begin delivering energy to Massachusetts, is also an Avangrid project and the company announced last week that 10 or its planned 62 turbines are now operational, generating 136 megawatts of power. Once fully operational — Avangrid offers no specific completion date for the project — Vineyard Wind is expected to produce 806 megawatts.