US gives Ørsted and Eversource green light to build New York’s first offshore wind farm

BOEM’s final approval enables Ørsted and Eversource to begin construction of 12-turbine wind farm off the US’s east coast

by Nadia Weekes 20 January 2022

Ørsted has developed offshore wind farms around the world and is helping to develop a 4GW-plus pipeline in US waters

New York’s first offshore wind farm – the 132MW South Fork Wind project – has received construction and operations (COP) approval from the US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). This is the final decision needed from the agency for Danish developer Ørsted and New England utility Eversource to move the project toward construction. 

BOEM’s final approval of the COP follows the agency’s decision in November 2021 to approve the project’s Record of Decision, which concluded its environmental review.

In the next few days, developers Ørsted and Eversource are due to begin onshore construction phase for South Fork Wind, which is to be located in waters 56km off Long Island, New York. 

“Today, after years of careful planning, we are on the cusp of making history as South Fork Wind, New York’s first-ever offshore wind farm, will soon become a reality,” said Joe Nolan, chief executive of Eversource Energy. 

“As New York’s first offshore wind farm, South Fork Wind is already contributing to a new statewide and US manufacturing era and maritime industry, including good-paying union jobs through our labour partnerships and vision for the industry,” said David Hardy, chief executive of Ørsted Offshore North America.

Offshore installation of the project’s monopile foundations and 12 Siemens Gamesa SG 11.0-200 DD wind turbines is expected to begin in summer 2023, with commissioning expected by the end of the year.

The 806MW Vineyard Wind 1 project, off Massachusetts, was the first large-scale offshore wind farm to win final approval last May. It is also due online in 2023.

Many critical components for South Fork Wind will be constructed domestically, including export transmission cables in South Carolina, an offshore substation in Texas, and a large maintenance vessel in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. 

“The US now has multiple offshore wind projects in their construction phases, showcasing that a domestic industry is now coming to life,” said Ross Gould, vice president of supply chain development at the industry group Business Network for Offshore Wind. 

“This localisation of a supply chain is critical and must be better supported by policymakers to ensure projects move forward consistently and economic benefits are captured domestically,” he added.