Nova Scotia’s offshore energy regulator wants to begin studying areas of the ocean that could be home to the first turbines in Premier Tim Houston’s proposed Wind West project.
The regulator says it is looking for a company to study the marine life, archeology and geotechnical aspects of five patches of ocean earmarked for potential offshore wind development.
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It says a single regional assessment will reduce duplication of work and help wind developers get their bids ready more quickly when tenders are issued later this year.
It will also help the regulator assess the environmental impacts of the potential developments.
The first phase of Wind West is estimated to cost about $60 billion and would produce about five gigawatts of power by 2030.
The federal government has shown interest in accelerating the approval process for Wind West, but the project wasn’t included in the first group of projects slated for fast-tracking announced in the fall.
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