Fishermen air concerns about Vineyard Wind

Looking to create a sea change in energy production in Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker signed “An Act to Promote Energy Diversity” with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2016. A key provision of the legislation mandated that utilities solicit long-term contracts with offshore wind farm developers, with the goal of adding 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2027. Fast-forward to Tuesday night, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, where federal and state officials, along with representatives from Vineyard Wind, gathered for a “scoping session” to hear how Islanders feel about having the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the United States – 106 turbines, 700 feet tall, spaced about a mile apart, covering 167,000 acres>click to read<15:47

One Response to Fishermen air concerns about Vineyard Wind

  1. Barbara Durkin says:

    It would be a tragic for the fishing industry, rate and taxpayers, US consumers of seafood, if offshore wind thugs succeed.

    Vineyard Wind is 50% owned by Avangrid that is Iberdrola of Spain-

    Biggest Stimulus Winner-Iberdrola
    2009
    “The biggest winner was Spain’s Iberdrola, the world’s biggest renewable-energy utility. Iberdrola snapped up grants worth $294 million for five wind farms.”
    https://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/09/01/clean-energy-grants-iberdrola-cleans-up/

    May 9, 2017 · A major player in the international renewable energy market is joining the race to erect a wind farm off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Avangrid Renewables has purchased a 50 percent stake in Vineyard Wind, one of three …
    http://www.mvtimes.com/2017/05/09/vineyard-wind-announces-new-partner-offshore-wind-project/

    ‘Investigation underway into allegations of market abuse by Eversource, Avangrid’
    Posted: Oct 17, 2017 2:38 PM EDT

    “According to a press release by the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC), a recent investigation was initiated in response to a recent report that was conducted by various university researchers who were working with the Environmental Defense Fund.

    PURA says local gas distribution companies run by Eversource and Avangrid (Yankee, CNG, and SCG) deliberately created shortages so they could charge more.

    A report from researchers working with the Environmental Defense Fund alleges the companies drove up electric and natural gas rates, costing utility customers around New England billions of extra dollars in higher prices.

    If the allegations are true, then some of the state’s largest utility companies could owe hundreds of thousands of customers an apology and maybe much more…”

    http://www.wfsb.com/story/36618008/investigation-underway-into-allegations-of-market-abuse-by-eversource-avangrid

    11/18/17
    [A U.S. District Court filed Class Action] “lawsuit alleges that 14.7 million customers in New England were affected by “a unique monopoly” between Eversource and Avangrid that resulted in $3.6 billion in over charges…”
    https://www.pressherald.com/2017/11/17/lawsuit-alleges-energy-companies-overcharged-customers/

    “Iberdrola has had five recent cases of fraud and corruption around the world, with millions of dollars in fines, tens of millions in proposed fines and a worldwide ban on World Bank financing.”
    https://graftonwindhamwind.org/2015/11/06/iberdrola-fraud-corruption/

    Hartford Courant
    October 29, 2015

    “The Spanish company buying United Illuminating has a recent history of fraud and corruption charges.”
    http://www.courant.com/business/dan-haar/hc-haar-iberdrola-united-illuminating-fraud-cases-20151028-column.html

    United Illuminating Buyer (Iberdrola) Has Multiple Fraud And Corruption Cases In Europe
    By Dan Haar, Hartford Courant

    The proposed, $3 billion takeover of United Illuminating and Connecticut Natural Gas Co. by Iberdrola SA was already stacked with concerns when another hot issue brought some high drama to a regulatory hearing this month.

    Clip-Addressing Iberdrola-
    Arthur House, chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority:

    “We have five instances of international fraud and corruption,” House said at the hearing, according to a transcript. “This authority would be derelict in its duties if it did not look into your past and assume it was possible that your future might resemble what you’ve done in the past.”

    https://graftonwindhamwind.org/2015/11/06/iberdrola-fraud-corruption/

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.