US Proposes Offshore Wind Auction for Central Atlantic Areas Next Year

The Biden administration on Monday announced a plan to sell offshore wind development rights for two areas off the coasts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia next year.

The proposed sale by auction is the latest effort by President Joe Biden's Interior Department to accelerate the expansion of offshore wind energy to combat climate change.

The administration has forged ahead with its ambitious offshore leasing plan despite soaring industry costs and supply chain constraints that have derailed some projects. Its last lease sale, held in August for three areas in the Gulf of Mexico, ended with a single winning bid.

Interior proposed to offer 101,443 acres off the coasts of Delaware and Maryland and 176,505 acres off the coast of Virginia. If developed, the two areas have the potential to power more than 2.2 million homes, the agency said.

Interior will seek public comment on the areas for 60 days before making a final decision on whether to lease any of the proposed areas.

The auction, which could be held in the middle of next year, would be the fifth since Biden took office in 2021. The administration has also said it plans to hold lease sales for areas off Oregon and Maine next year.

Also on Monday, Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said it was evaluating additional areas off the Maryland coast for future offshore wind leasing.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)