Offshore staff
FREDERICIA, Denmark — Sunrise Wind has received its record of decision from the US Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for the 924-MW offshore wind project serving New York.
Additionally, Ørsted and Eversource have jointly taken a final investment decision on Sunrise Wind and will now advance with onshore construction activities.
Located about 30 miles (48 km) east of Montauk, New York, Ørsted says Sunrise Wind is expected to be the country’s largest offshore wind farm upon completion, generating enough renewable energy to power nearly 600,000 New York homes.
Sunrise Wind is expected to bring $700 million of investment to Suffolk County and create 800 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs in the state.
The project is anticipated to be operational in 2026.
New York State recently selected Sunrise Wind to negotiate a 25-year contract to provide reliable green energy to the state. The project is finalizing agreements with New York’s energy agency, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), on this offshore wind renewable energy certificates (OREC) contract.
BOEM's issuance of the record of decision formally concludes its National Environmental Policy Act review process and precedes the anticipated approval of Sunrise Wind's construction and operations plan, which is expected this summer.
In January Ørsted agreed to acquire Eversource’s 50% ownership share of Sunrise Wind, becoming the project’s sole owner, subject to signing of an OREC contract with NYSERDA, finalization of acquisition agreements, construction and operations plan approval, and other relevant regulatory approvals.
Eversource will remain contracted to lead the project’s onshore construction.
“The Sunrise Wind project will continue to stimulate the domestic supply chain for offshore wind, including directly supporting shipbuilding in Louisiana and steel manufacturing in upstate New York," Liz Burdock, founder and CEO of Oceantic Network, said. "Oceantic Network has already identified more than 60 companies that have contributed to the project, and dozens are expected as this next phase of construction begins. This announcement, along with NYSERDA’s award of offtake for the project, are enabling offshore wind to thrive in the region and build momentum across the nation."
In February the proposed deal with Global Infrastructure Partners wrapped up an 18-month process for the Northeast US utility. The leaders of Eversource Energy signed a deal to sell the company’s stake in the South Fork Wind and Revolution Wind offshore projects, a move that completed the utility’s exit from the offshore wind sector.
Earlier this week, Ørsted submitted two bids for Starboard Wind, a 1,184-MW offshore wind farm that would power up to 600,000 New England homes. This multi-state project would help both Connecticut and Rhode Island meet their climate targets.
03.29.2024
