Cape Wind has been beset by legal delays and questions over its finances . But the offshore wind power project looks like it may be ramping up just in time to hit a deadline for a key federal tax credit.

Bloomberg News reported yesterday that the German wind turbine manufacturer Siemens has begun work on wind turbines for the $2.6 billion project. The manufacturer’s CEO told Bloomberg that, in addition to turbine work, Cape Wind is also prepping foundations for turbines, saying, “They are doing significant work.” A Cape Wind spokesman wouldn’t confirm the construction or the turbine orders, only telling the Cape Cod Times, “We’re confident that we’re going to secure financing and build the project.”

The timing of the construction work is critical. As CommonWealth has detailed, Cape Wind faces a December 31 deadline for beginning significant construction work, in order to qualify for a federal green energy tax credit. The credit is valuable — it’s worth 30 percent of the project’s construction expenses. Cape Wind also has a $200 million equity investment from a Danish pension fund that is contingent on securing project financing by the end of the year.

The construction tax credit is set to expire at the end of the year. If the Bloomberg report is correct, Cape Wind would have begun work just weeks before the credit expires.

Cape Wind isn’t the only renewable energy developer racing against the December 31 deadline. According to Bloomberg, an energy utility owned by Berkshire Hathaway just put in an order for $1 billion worth of land-based turbines for wind projects in Iowa. The story on the Iowa turbine orders notes that the falling cost of turbines has put wind power within 5.5 percent of the cost of coal-generated electricity.

–PAUL MCMORROW

BEACON HILL

The Globe reports that more than a dozen companies are hoping to land millions of dollars in tax breaks from a state commission tomorrow in return for pledges to mount projects that would create a total of about 1,500 jobs.

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

Boston Fire Commissioner Roderick Fraser, who tangled regularly with the city firefighters union, will resign on January 6, leaving it to incoming mayor Marty Walsh to tap a new leader for the department while the city is in the thick of the latest round of contentious contract negotiations. The firefighters union endorsed Walsh in last month’s election.

CASINOS

Investigators for the state gambling commission have deemed Wynn Resorts suitable to run an Everett casino, a critical step for the Las Vegas gambling conglomerate. Former governor Bill Weld, working as a hired gun for the company, appeared alongside a drowsy Steve Wynn at yesterday’s hearing.

Gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Baker says gambling commission chairman Steve Crosby should recuse himself from all votes involving the eastern Massachusetts casino license.

Longmeadow and MGM Springfield are having a war of words over a “surrounding community” mitigation agreement.

NATIONAL POLITICS/WASHINGTON

Could George Washington Bridge lane closures be the undoing of Chris Christie?

ELECTIONS

Charlie Baker won’t be the only Republican running for governor. Mark Fisher, a tea party Republican and small business owner from Shrewsbury, says he is getting into the race, the Telegram & Gazette reports.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is set to deliver the oath of office to former campaign aide Dan Rivera when he becomes mayor of Lawrence on January 3, the Eagle-Tribune reports.

According to a Bloomberg report, Scott Brown is selling his house and moving to New Hampshire, but has to work out of Nixon Peabody’s Boston office because he isn’t licensed to practice in the Granite State.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

A national survey finds that even though the economy is recovering,most consumers say they will spend the same or less this holiday season than they did last year.

Quincy city councilors rejected a proposal to allow gas stations to sell food like they do in nearly every other community.

The quasi-public agency overseeing the redevelopment of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Base has voted to find the developer in violation of the contract, an action that could lead to the removal of the private company from the $1.1 billion mixed-use project.

Paul McMorrow has seen the future for badly needed moderate-priced housing in Boston, and it’s in Allston.

EDUCATION

Somerset schools are in line to receive the entire $1.6 million settlement over Clean Air Act violations between the former owners of the Brayton Point power plant and the federal government after Fall River officials failed to submit an application for their portion.

With no explosives found yesterday following a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of four buildings at Harvard, a lot of speculation is centering on the idea that it was a hoax intended to disrupt the start of final exam week (which it did). The Crimson floods the zone.

HEALTH CARE

The Globe reports that a state watchdog agency appears to be preparing to oppose Partners HealthCare’s proposed acquisition of South Shore Hospital and an area doctors’ group, a move that would be a rare rebuke of the health care giant. Critics say Parnters has squelched competition and driven up costs through its relentless expansion. Saying no to Partners is the right thing to do, says Globe business columnist Steven Syre.

The Board of Health in Saugus is hesitant to let a store sell e-cigarettes because it doesn’t have enough information to know if they are safe, the Item reports.

TRANSPORTATION

US Reps. Stephen Lynch and Michael Capuano, who both represent Milton, said they will push for changes to reduce airplane noise over the town after the FAA made changes to takeoff patterns at Logan that route more planes over the community.

MEDIA

John Yemma, who led the Christian Science Monitor from a print-focused newspaper to a digital site, is stepping down as editor of the 106-year-old institution. Dan Kennedy profiled Yemma for CommonWealth four years ago.

Officials with the New Bedford teachers union have urged a boycott of advertisers in the Standard-Times and other unidentified local media they deem have been unfair to the union.

David Carr pens an obit for AOL’s Patch sites.