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From the Mashpee Register
6/26/09

Cape Wind – Price Competitive Electricity

A group opposing Cape Wind has long floated the unsupportable premise that electricity cost could double with Cape Wind in operation. Lately, they have misused figures from an appendix to the US Dept. of the Interior "Cape Wind Energy Project, Final Environmental Impact Statement, January 2009" to try in vain to prove their point.

This appendix is intended only to compare costs between the 10 most likely offshore wind farm locations around the Mass. coast. All nine other locations would result in significantly higher generation costs than Cape Wind’s proposed Horseshoe Shoal location. Many assumptions had to be made in that analysis; these are only valid when comparing wind farm locations – not when comparing wind to fossil-fueled electric plants.

Pricing of electricity is an extremely complicated process. Most electricity generated is sold under highly confidential contracts between generators (whether fossil fuel or renewable) and retail distribution utilities such as NSTAR. These ‘generation’ costs are only part of the rates we consumers pay. Because of the confidentiality and complexity, future consumer electric rates from Cape Wind or fossil fueled generators cannot be predicted with accuracy, but fossil fuel prices have increased and will certainly continue to increase over time.

One thing is certain – Cape Wind will have to offer electricity at competitive rates or the distribution utilities won’t buy it. The project will not even be funded if it isn’t economically viable. For that reason alone, the exaggerated prices predicted by the opposition make no sense.

Cape Wind will offer us a competitive and stable solution in a world of rising fuel prices and scarcities. But there are many other reasons why it is the right thing to do - for our health, our environment, our economy, and the quality of life for future generations. Please do not let the well-funded opposition use unfounded claims to convince us on the Cape not to strongly support this project so vital to our region.

John Brazier
5 Par Three Court
Mashpee