Massachusetts has signed an agreement with Rhode Island and Connecticut to consider multi-state bids for offshore wind. Gov. Maura Healey announced the plan Wednesday.
For now, the states will use their own, separate processes for selecting developers, rather than jointly soliciting bids. But they will entertain proposals to sell power in more than one state.
That means the projects could be larger and share infrastructure and suppliers.
For example, bids due in January in Massachusetts can’t exceed 2,400 megawatts, but a project combined with Connecticut and Rhode Island could be up to 6,000 megawatts.
Healey said cooperation with other states should create economies of scale and lower the cost of wind power.
In other wind news, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has approved contract termination agreements for SouthCoast Wind.
In August, the company agreed to pay more than $60 million in penalties to end contracts with Massachusetts electric companies.
SouthCoast Wind will pay about $32 million to Eversource, $27 million to National Grid, and $591,000 to Unitil.
The money will be credited to customers.
SouthCoast is one of two developers — along with Commonwealth Wind — to cancel.
Both companies say they cannot meet the terms of the contracts because of cost increases and supply chain problems.
Meanwhile, Vineyard Wind is working to finish the installation of its first offshore wind turbine, 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard.
Spokesman Andrew Doba said the tower is fully constructed, but the nacelle and blades have yet to be installed. Components began arriving at the site four weeks ago.
Unfavorable weather and the learning curve that occurs with a new model — the GE Haliade-X — are factors, he said. Doba said Vineyard Wind was aware of those uncertainties going in, so the first turbine isn’t necessarily taking longer than planned.
