Premier Andrew Furey says Newfoundland and Labrador’s targets for offshore wind development will be similar to those set out in Nova Scotia.
Furey and Federal Minister Jonathan Wilkinson signed an MOU yesterday laying out the regime for offshore wind development.
Essentially, it lets Newfoundland and Labrador create an independent provincial approval process, and makes the province the “principal beneficiary” of the resource—akin to what is in the Atlantic Accord for oil and gas.
(Photo via Premier Andrew Furey Twitter.)
When asked what sort of targets the province will have, Furey says they will be similar to Nova Scotia.
Furey says it is important to note how fast the province has moved with respect to onshore development.
He says that in the last 18 months the province has lifted its wind moratorium and developed a bid process that can run parallel to the environmental assessment process. Furey says the process for offshore will be similar to onshore.
Energy NL says they welcome news of the MOU between the provincial and federal governments.
CEO Charlene Johnson calls the agreement a positive step forward for the local energy sector.
With the province as the regulatory lead, Johnson says she is optimistic that local content will be a priority for any future development.
