Republican candidate Charles Baker called the project a "sweetheart deal" between the state, developer Cape Wind and utility National Grid, according to the Boston Globe. He said the project was not competitively bid and was negotiated in secret.
Meanwhile, Independent Tim Cahill said: "I would stop it if I get elected governor."
Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein said there had been a lack of transparency in the regulation of Cape Wind’s power purchase agreement (PPA) with National Grid, which covers half the project’s 468MW.
Stein said: "It’s clearly not delivering the most green energy for every dollar invested."
But Governor Deval Patrick came out in defence of the project. "Cape Wind has been treated like any other’’ energy project, he said.
Patrick’s election in 2006 drove out one of the project’s most high-profile opponents, as Republican governor Mitt Romney was booted out of office.
But, Democrats cannot be complacent about their hold over the state, especially since Republican Scott Brown defeated Democratic attorney general Martha Coakley for a Senate seat earlier this year.
Coakley recently reached a settlement with Cape Wind and National Grid over their PPA, agreeing a 10% cut in power purchase price, and recommending that the state’s public utilities commission approve the deal.
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