Birmingham, Alabama (Platts)--22Jan2013/538 pm EST/2238 GMT
The third time could be charm for Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's offshore wind legislation as the snag that has held it up in the past is gone. The bills, H.B. 226 and S.B. 275, were introduced Monday and are substantially identical to the bill that passed overwhelmingly in the House of Delegates last year, but lacked one vote to make it out of the Senate Finance Committee. State Senator Anthony Muse, who voted against the measure last year, is no longer on the finance committee. Senator Thomas Middleton, the committee's chairman, said Tuesday that the bill has enough votes to clear the committee. Article continues below... Request a free trial of: Megawatt Daily Megawatt Daily provides detailed coverage of power prices in major US and Canadian electricity markets, up-to-date information about solicitations and supply deals, and information about complex state and federal power regulations.
The third time could be charm for Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's offshore wind legislation as the snag that has held it up in the past is gone. The bills, H.B. 226 and S.B. 275, were introduced Monday and are substantially identical to the bill that passed overwhelmingly in the House of Delegates last year, but lacked one vote to make it out of the Senate Finance Committee. State Senator Anthony Muse, who voted against the measure last year, is no longer on the finance committee. Senator Thomas Middleton, the committee's chairman, said Tuesday that the bill has enough votes to clear the committee.
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Megawatt Daily provides detailed coverage of power prices in major US and Canadian electricity markets, up-to-date information about solicitations and supply deals, and information about complex state and federal power regulations.
O'Malley said Tuesday during a news conference that 24 Maryland senators have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill, enough for it to win passage in the Senate. The House approved the measure last year by a 2-1 margin. The legislation would support the construction of a 200-MW wind farm off the Maryland coast through the use of offshore wind renewable energy credits. Utilities would be required to purchase enough credits to supply 2.5% of the state's energy. Baltimore Gas & Electric, the state's largest utility, is not taking a position on the bill, Rob Gould, a spokesman, said. Under the legislation, the Maryland Public Service Commission would only be allowed to approve offshore projects that limit the average residential cost to $1.50/month and the non-residential customer's cost to l.5% of current bills.--Mary Powers, newsdesk@platts.com --Edited by Jason Lindquist, jason_lindquist@platts.com
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