Federal Government Postpones Auction of Oregon’s First Offshore Wind Leases

Bidders lose interest and Gov. Tina Kotek calls for a pause on offshore wind lease plans that she calls ‘rushed and divisive.’

Wind turbines at the Block Island Wind Farm near Block Island, R.I., on July 7, 2022. John Moore/Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced on Sept. 27 that it is delaying the planned auction of two wind energy areas offshore of Oregon because of a lack of interest.

Only one of the five qualified companies expressed interest in bidding on the identified lease areas, according to BOEM.