The US Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said they plan to hold a lease auction of the Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area, 44 kilometres off the US east coast.
"With the completion of a successful lease sale, North Carolina will move closer to obtaining substantial contributions to the region's energy supply from offshore wind," said BOEM's director, Abigail Hopper.
"Additionally, such supply will assist local governments in achieving their renewable energy goals," she added.
Public comments will be solicited starting this week (15 August) and last until 17 October. After that, an auction date is expected to be announced.
Five companies have expressed initial interest in the site, according to local media.
BOEM has previously awarded 11 commercial offshore wind leases off the US east coast, including nine awarded following auctions.
The next US offshore auction is expected to take place in late 2016 or early 2017 for a site off the coast of New York, north-east US.
Construction of the US' first offshore wind farm, Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island, is nearing completion.
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