An offshore wind company in 2019 determined through studies Falmouth was the best place to bring in their onshore wind cables.
The town started negotiating an HCA, a host community agreement with the offshore wind company that could be used for building among other things local broadband networks.
Falmouth Broadband MLP was established by a Town Meeting in 2022.
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June 8, 2022, around 90 percent of Falmouth residents were against the onshore wind cable project.
Falmouth has wind turbine zoning bylaws which include cable installations. Zoning bylaws are for the safety, health, and protection of residents.
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The town of Falmouth Wind Energy Systems (WES) requires Special Permit hearings and notifications to all abutters. The definition is all equipment, machinery, and structures utilized in connection with the conversion of wind to electricity. This includes, but is not limited to, transmission, storage equipment, substations, transformers, service and access roads, and one or more wind turbines.
A proposal to build an HVDC high voltage direct current converter plant on the town aquifer requires bypassing zoning height restrictions, noise, containment of electric components, and fire fighting.
A two-thirds vote is required by Falmouth Town Meeting approval for easements and Article 97 relief.
The Massachusetts Energy Facility Siting Board requires projects to provide a reliable energy supply with the minimum impact on the environment and the lowest cost.
The current Falmouth electric cable route remains under study to determine if submarine cables would be used to bypass Falmouth.
The offshore wind cable route through Falmouth has a queue number 1225 assigned by the New England grid operator ISO-.New England.
The cost of rebuilding the Falmouth electric grid has not been released to the public and studies by the grid operator continue until further notice.
Falmouth Broad Band meetings continue...........................................
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Note # 1 Falmouth Broadband
https://southcoastwind.com/falmouth-connection/
Falmouth Connection - SouthCoast Wind
"A Host Community Agreement between Falmouth and SouthCoast Wind will provide annual revenue to the Town once the project has been constructed. These payments, which can be used at the discretion of the town, may support locally-driven initiatives, such as coastal resiliency, broadband, energy efficiency, and other town-determined priorities."
Note # 2 Massachusetts Energy Facility Siting Board Handbook
https://www.mass.gov/doc/energy-facilities-siting-handbook-revised-january-2019/download
"1. Public Notice Upon receiving a petition to construct an energy facility in Massachusetts, the Siting Board directs the applicant to:
(1) publish, prior to the public comment hearing, notice of its proposal to construct the project in at least two newspapers having a reasonable level of circulation within the community or region,
(2) mail notice to owners of all property within a certain distance of the boundaries of the proposed and alternate sites, if any, for the facility, and
(3) post notice in the city or town halls of communities in which the proposed project would be located."
