The US’s first commercial offshore wind farm just got its first foundation

South Fork Wind, New York State’s first offshore wind farm, has achieved 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 US workers and three Northeast ports will support South Fork Wind’s construction through late fall. The project, which is expected to complete on time, will power around 70,000 New York homes when it comes online at the end of 2023.

The 132-megawatt (MW), 12-turbine project, which is 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 US.

It’s located about 35 miles east of Montauk Point, and it will deliver clean energy directly to the electric grid in East Hampton 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’s expected to bring a combined economic impact of $12.1 billion to the state.

Installation of the first foundation at the US’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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