The first US-built offshore substation is now standing at New York’s South Fork Wind, the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in US federal waters.
South Fork Wind’s 1,500-ton, 60-foot-tall offshore substation was designed and engineered in Kansas and then built near Corpus Christi, Texas, by Kiewit Offshore Services, the largest offshore fabricator in the US. The substation sailed from Texas to New York in May.
Offshore substations collect and stabilize the power generated by wind turbines, preparing the power for transmission to shore.
The 132-megawatt (MW), 12-turbine South Fork Wind will produce enough clean energy to power 70,000 New York homes. 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 Wind’s first offshore wind turbine foundation was installed at the end of June. Hundreds of US workers and three Northeast ports will support its construction through late fall.
It’s expected to come online, on schedule, at the end of 2023, when South Fork Wind will then become the first completed utility-scale offshore wind farm in US federal waters. It’s being jointly developed by Danish wind giant Ørsted and energy provider Eversource.
South Fork Wind 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.
Read more: In a US first, fossil fuel power plant workers will be retrained for offshore wind
Photo: South Fork Wind
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