Governor Kathy Hochul’s office announced Thursday, June 22 that the South Fork Wind Farm, located approximately 35 miles off the coast of Long Island, achieved the “steel in water” milestone by installing the project’s first monopile foundation.
The project, expected to be operational by the end of 2023, will feature 12 wind turbines connected to the grid via underwater cables to power 70,000 Long Island homes.
It will mark the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in the United States and one of five offshore wind projects under active development in New York, the largest portfolio in the country.
Hochul and Interior Minister Deb Haaland held the groundbreaking ceremony for the project in February 2022.
“New York is leading the way in offshore wind development and building a green economy that will support hundreds of good-paying jobs and benefit future generations,” Hocher said in a statement.
“The progress made in building the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind project solidifies New York’s status as the center of the nation’s offshore wind industry.”
According to the governor’s office, South Fork Wind will reduce carbon emissions by as much as 6 million tons over 25 years, the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the road each year.
Once all five of the state’s offshore wind farms are operational, they are expected to generate a combined 4,300 megawatts of electricity, powering more than 2.4 million New York homes.
The projects will also create more than 6,800 jobs in project management, component fabrication, installation, and operations and administration, Hochul’s office said.
State leaders hope that by 2035, offshore wind farms will generate 9,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to meet nearly 30 percent of New York State’s electricity needs, equivalent to the power needs of nearly 6 million homes.
“It is clear that offshore wind is an integral part of our nation’s clean energy future, and I am proud that Suffolk County is firmly at the forefront of this industry,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Veron said in a statement. pride.”
“The installation of the first turbine foundation and offshore wind substation is an important milestone in helping New York build a cleaner future.”
Crews will install the project’s U.S.-built offshore substation and turbine foundations in the coming days.
Construction of the project is being undertaken by Ørsted US Offshore Wind in partnership with Eversource and the Long Island Power Authority.
For more information on South Fork Wind, see the project’s website.
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