Rhode Island Energy has ended its negotiations over a proposed 200 MW power purchase agreement (PPA) with the SouthCoast Wind project, highlighting continued uncertainty in the offshore wind industry. The utility had extended its deadline for the PPA multiple times, but said it could not agree on terms. SouthCoast Wind, a 1,287 MW offshore project jointly developed by EDP Renewables and Engie, had already secured conditional contracts with Rhode Island and Massachusetts through a multi-state solicitation.
Meanwhile, a U.S. federal court has ordered the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to reconsider its approval of SouthCoast Wind’s construction plan. The court remanded BOEM’s decision after the Department of the Interior raised concerns that the earlier environmental assessment may have underestimated certain impacts. The agency must now conduct a fresh review, with status reports due every 60 days starting in January 2026.
The court’s decision — coming amid legal challenges from Nantucket — adds a new layer of risk for the project as it seeks to finalise commercial agreements.
