Mayflower Wind Undaunted: Still Plans To Land Cables In Falmouth

“Mayflower Wind Still Plans To Land Cables In Falmouth”, Falmouth Enterprise, by NOELLE ANNONEN, 1/10/2023

(Courtesy of Mayflower Wind)

Mayflower Wind is considering three possible routes for connecting electric cables through Falmouth Heights: Worcester Avenue, Central Park, and Kite Park, all in Falmouth Heights. At the town’s request this past fall, Mayflower Wind reevaluated four additional landfall sites in town: Little Pond, the ends of Clinton and Scranton Avenues, and Surf Drive Beach at the end of Shore Street. Each was deemed to be unfeasible by the company.

Mayflower Wind Energy LLC is undaunted by a recent vote to deny the company access to potential landfall sites for its project in Falmouth Heights. Representatives say the project will continue to move forward with its connection in Falmouth, but nailing down a specific site in town will have to wait.

The Falmouth Select Board voted 4-1 on December 19 to deny Mayflower Wind access to town property to study landfall sites for its electric cables. The company is preparing to refile more detailed plans with the Energy Facilities Siting Board, which include changes to the proposed transmission technology from high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) to high-voltage direct current (HVDC).

“The recent select board vote does not impact Mayflower Wind’s plans or timeline to refile the project’s EFSB petition,” Kelsey Perry, community liaison coordinator for Mayflower Wind, wrote in an email last Friday, January 6.

Mayflower Wind plans to construct a wind turbine farm in federal waters 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. To do so, according to the company, it needs to tunnel electric cables underground that would connect to two different substations. One of the proposed substation sites is in Falmouth; the other is in Somerset.
The wind farm would generate enough electricity to power 800,000 homes, according to the company.

Mayflower Wind has already tested many cable landfall sites in Falmouth Heights, but its initial access agreement with the town is set to expire. The company’s preferred landfall sites are Worcester Avenue and Central Park.

The agreement with Falmouth would have allowed the company to conduct further engineering studies at Worcester Court and Central Park. The survey would have included soil sampling and archeological test pits, which, according to Mayflower Wind, would elucidate drainage parameters, potential contamination and environmental factors that might impact or be impacted by cable landfall. The agreement would also have granted access to Kite Park in Falmouth Heights, an alternative location that the town requested Mayflower Wind reconsider. (The company had earlier deemed the site was feasible but technically much more challenging.)

Board members voted against the renewed access agreement, citing a lack of transparency, communication and trust in how the company has worked with the town, among other complaints. Falmouth Heights residents who oppose a Falmouth Heights cable landfall filled the select board’s meeting room that night and applauded the vote.

“Stop Mayflower Wind’s Cables” signs can be found at the roadside throughout Falmouth Heights. (photo by Gene M. Marachand, Enterprise)

But, even without the survey data, Mayflower Wind still plans to move forward in its refiling. However, it weakens their application, the company says.

“Without this data, it is less likely that we will be able to…finalize landfall options under consideration,” Ms. Perry said. “We don’t have this information to present in the state and federal permits.”

Ms. Perry said Mayflower Wind was in the midst of surveying the sites and needed to finish work at the identified locations with the updated access agreements. She said the work must be completed in sequential phases. The company refrained from conducting site studies between Memorial Day and Labor Day to keep its promise to the town that it would not disrupt the tourist season, she said.

“Mayflower Wind continues to move forward with the Falmouth connection,” Ms. Perry said. She said the company will schedule a community meeting to elaborate on the work it still needs to do at the potential landfall sites in Falmouth Heights.

The change from HVAC to HVDC current will reduce the footprint of the project’s inland substation from 15 acres to 6 acres, according to the company. The substation would convert the cable’s power to a grid voltage and then feed the power into the gird interconnection point off Sam Turner Road.

Mayflower Wind’s cables would travel north to connect with the grid off Sam Turner Road. (Courtesy of Mayflower Wind)