The U.S. federal government has awarded a Chinese-backed energy firm $47 million to construct a wind farm in Atlantic City, N.J., after the state rejected the project twice.
Fishermen's Energy firm has been lobbying to build five windmills on the New Jersey coast that would cost about $188 million, according to the Washington Times. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities rejected the project twice saying it was too risky for ratepayers.
The Washington Times reports:
"Fishermen’s is confident that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities will recognize the vetting by the DOE of the project, and will now engage with Fishermen’s to finalize our … application so the project can proceed expeditiously," said Chris Wissemann, the company’s CEO, the Associated Press reported.
Greg Reinert, a spokesman for the New Jersey utilities board, declined to offer much for AP’s story, aside from noting that Fishermen’s Energy is appealing the project’s most recent denial in court.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities concluded in April that the Chinese company did not demonstrate financial integrity.