The US’s first commercial offshore wind farm has just broken ground

South Fork Wind, New York’s first offshore wind farm, has reached its “steel in the water” milestone with the installation of the project’s first monopile foundation.

South Fork Wind will next install the first US-built offshore substation. Hundreds of American workers and three Northeast ports will support South Fork Wind’s construction through late fall. The project, which is expected to be completed on time, will power about 70,000 New York homes when it comes online in late 2023.

The 132-megawatt (MW), 12-turbine project, being built by Danish wind giant Ørsted and New England energy company Eversource (a 50/50 partnership), is the first commercial offshore wind farm in the United States.

Located about 35 miles east of Montauk Point, it will deliver clean energy directly to the East Hampton electric grid via a single transmission line installed in March. The energy produced will be sold to the Long Island Power Authority under the terms of a 20-year agreement.

South Fork is one of five offshore wind projects New York State has in active development – the largest portfolio in the US. This current portfolio totals more than 4,300 MW and will power more than 2.4 million New York homes. It is expected to provide a total economic effect of 12.1 billion dollars to the state.

Installation of the first foundation at America’s first commercial offshore wind farm is a milestone in the country’s goal to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030.

Read more: Global installed wind power capacity just reached 1 TW

Photo: Ørsted

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