Wind Power: What Will LIPA Charge Ratepayers?

A Wainscott resident and wind farm opponent Simon Kinsella announced at a press conference June 14 he is suing New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Kinsella and other opponents of the South Fork Wind Farm have been highly critical that none of the parties involved in the project will divulge how much the energy generated will cost ratepayers.

The state comptroller recently denied a Freedom of Information request that would have released the Power Purchase agreement between LIPA and Deepwater, the parent company of the South Fork Wind project. Deepwater was recently sold to Ørsted.

Kinsella (was joined outside the Cedar Street firehouse June 11 before the first state hearing on the wind project. Commercial fishing advocate Bonnie Brady, Cameron Macdonald of Government Justice Center, New York spokesperson Jadan Horyn, Dan Branda, Reclaim New York’s policy director, and Elaine Jones, chairwoman of the Independence Party, were among those on hand. Brady Brady held a photograph of farm cable from Deepwater’s Block Island project that initially was buried under the sea and beach: it will remain exposed for two years, according to the National Grid.

Jones is fielding an entire slate of anti-Orsted/Deepwater candidates in the coming East Hampton elections.

Kinsella said the comptroller denied his FOIL request because the rate is a “trade secret,” but Kinsella and other critics think the rate may be triple what the going rate for wind-generated power is elsewhere.

rmurphy@indyeastend.com