Barnstable ConCom OKs Park City Wind plan to bring cables ashore, with conditions

Avangrid Renewables' proposal to bring power cables from its Park City Wind project ashore at Craigville Beach and run them under the Centerville River was approved by the Barnstable Conservation Commission, but with a list of conditions that include obtaining a power purchase contract.

The board voted unanimously to permit installation of two 275-kV submarine electric transmission cables in Nantucket Sound, and an onshore duct bank system at Craigville Beach and 2 Short Beach Road where the cables will be passed under the river.

Members again acknowledged the numerous concerns residents have raised with the board — including questions about the project's financial viability, whether electromagnetic fields may harm human health and marine life, and how the project could affect the environment further inland at power substations. The board pointed out its decision is based on what's in their purview to act on.

"I just want to emphasize that many of the public's concerns are outside of our conservation jurisdictions," said Chairman Tom Lee during the board's Oct. 10 meeting where they approved the permit with an order of conditions.

But, he said, "the applicants need to secure all the permits and approvals, including the energy siting board and the town of Barnstable before any construction can start." Power purchase plans are part of projects' review by state energy facility sighting boards.

Avangrid recently announced termination of its previously negotiated power purchase contract with the state of Connecticut following a failed attempt to renegotiate terms for its 804-megawatt Park City Wind Project. In March, the company similarly pulled out of its contract in Massachusetts for its 1,200-megawatt Commonwealth Wind project in favor of taking its chances with seeking a new agreement, under better terms, in the state's fourth wind procurement round, now underway.

Power purchase agreements are contracts between renewable energy producers, like Avangrid, and buyers of the energy that's produced.

According to Avangrid, its projects have been troubled by supply chain problems, expenses tied to the war in Ukraine, inflation and rising interest rates that have all resulted in higher overall costs that were not offset by the previous agreements completed before the economic situation declined.

The Conservation Commission isn't the only board requiring the company to secure a new contract before the projects can proceed. Earlier this month, the Barnstable Town Council paused further action related to the projects, voting unanimously not only to pull back their prior authorization for Town Manager Mark Ells to begin negotiating a host community agreement for Commonwealth Wind, but also to postpone officially signing off on certain easements for Park City Wind until the projects' status is resolved.

The Conservation Commission has been reviewing Avangrid's application to land cables at Craigville Beach for the last couple of months. A public hearing on the plan was closed on Sept. 12, and the board has since been working on its order of conditions.

Avangrid is specifically planning bring the Park City Wind electric transmission cables from its 804-megawatt offshore wind farm ashore at the west end of Craigville Beach by way of horizontal directional drilling — the same technique used to bring power cables from the Vineyard Wind project ashore at Covell Beach.

The company is looking to pass the power cables under the beach, then under the Centerville River at 2 Short Beach Road, which was purchased in late June for $430,000, according to town assessing records.

Plans call for conveying the cables under the river using microtunneling — a trenchless construction technique. After that, the cables would be routed underground about four miles to a proposed substation on Shootflying Hill Road, then nearly a mile to the existing Eversource substation on Oak Street in West Barnstable. From there the project would connect with the ISO-NE electrical grid.

Among the Conservation Commission's draft conditions approved last week are limitations on when the company can perform work. Horizontal directional drilling can't be done between April 1 and Aug. 31 in order to avoid and minimize noise impacts to piping plovers, a threatened species, during breeding season.

Additionally, microtunneling can't be conducted between May 15 and Oct. 1, and the company must coordinate with the harbormaster to address any potential hazards to navigation on the river.

The board is also requiring that the cables be tunneled at least 10 feet below the bottom of the river to minimize any electromagnetic fields, or EMFs, the cables may produce.

The commission is also requiring the company to maintain regular monitoring for excessive EMF levels at specific locations — including on the beach, and entry and exit points at the river — for three years after the cables are energized.

Monitoring reports are expected at least once per quarter during the three years, with readings taken every 250 feet between the mean low water line and along the beach, as well as at shafts at 2 Beach Road on one side of the river and on Craigville Beach Road on the other side, and at two locations in the center of the river. Readings must also be taken both at the water's surface and at ground level.

While several commissioners pointed out there is no data definitively suggesting harm from buried power cables, they are requiring the monitoring as an extra precaution. Recognizing that science is still being done on the issue, the board members agreed they will request Avangrid to analyze their readings based industry standards or guidelines at the time of the monitoring.

"I think it's good to have a handle on that for sure," said Commissioner George Gillmore during the Oct. 10 discussion.

Board Vice Chairwoman Louise Foster agreed.

"I think it is important," she said. "I don't feel uncomfortable about the EMF effects and levels that are going to be present during this project, but I do think the public has certainly expressed concern about it and we ought to respond to it."

She suggested monitoring should be done for five to 10 years, with a chance for the board to review whether it should be continued after that time. But the board stuck with the three-year period.

Other conditions call for pre-construction site meetings, written construction protocols, compliance with state natural heritage guidelines, no disturbance of the environment — including cutting vegetation — beyond the work limit, minimal release of clay solids, and close monitoring of all drilling, among other things.

The permit will be valid for three years.

Heather McCarron writes about climate change, environment, energy, science and the natural world. Reach her at hmccarron@capecodonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Barnstable ConCom OKs Park City Wind cable landing, with conditions