Offshore wind farms mean higher bills

Be careful what you wish for! If the state is proposing to bring offshore wind power to the utility grid via New London Harbor, it’s complicated.

A January 2018 news article in The Block Island Times stated that residents of Newport and neighboring communities received “new electric and gas bills that are giving them sticker shock due to huge increases.”

One reason for this is because the significant cost of the Block Island Wind Farm Project is passed on through the distribution charge and not the power charge so consumers cannot opt to purchase equivalent power from other providers.

According to The Day, “State regulated utilities Eversource and United Illuminating will buy the electricity and deliver it to consumers, but the proposed rate for the ratepayers remains undisclosed ...,” (May 15). Fearful words.

Not only will utility bills most certainly increase due to construction costs, the entire natural beauty of historic New London Harbor will be effected.

If it’s such a great idea, let the state start with a wind farm off Greenwich. Katherine Mann Columbia Editor’s note: The wind farms would be constructed far offshore and out of view.