By Bill Barlow, Press of Atlantic City
In two unanimous votes Wednesday, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities vacated rulings related to Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2, huge offshore wind power projects from Danish energy company Ørsted.
Board members vacated a 2019 decision approving Ocean Wind 1 to build close to 100 towering wind turbines off South Jersey beaches. That plan seemed likely to be the first large-scale offshore wind project to be completed in New Jersey, although local opposition continued to grow as the project moved through the state and federal permitting process.
Orsted settle claims with New Jersey for $125M over scrapped offshore projects (AP)
ORSTED pulls plug on its New Jersey offshore wind energy plans (EnviroPolitics)
The BPU vote also vacates approvals granted for rights-of-way for the proposed power lines to pass under Ocean City and across Upper Township to bring the power to the site of the former B.L England power plant, where it would have entered the power grid.
A state law, one which the primary sponsor described as being aimed at Ocean City, allowed the BPU to approve the right-of-way if local communities failed to do so. Several local officials at the city and county level called the move a blow to the principles of home rule.
In September of last year, a group of protesters blocked work at 35th Street exploring the route for the power lines to cross Ocean City. Eventually, six people were arrested after they refused to clear the way. Charges were later dropped.
Despite the decision to vacate, that state law remains in effect.
“The BPU still has the authority to grant new easements to a qualified wind energy company without consent by Ocean City or Cape May County,” Ocean City spokesman Doug Bergen said in an emailed response to a request for comment. “The city continues its legal action challenging the constitutionality of the statute that gives the BPU that power.”
Cape May County celebrated the decision.
“Today is a very important day in our ongoing opposition to these environmentally destructive offshore wind projects,” county Commissioner Director Len Desiderio said in a statement released after the vote. “The vacation of these orders by the BPU means that it will be much more difficult for Ørsted or any other big wind company to utilize these lease areas just a few miles off Cape May County beaches.”
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