Dominion Energy announced that it has received the first eight monopile foundations for the 2.6GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project in the US.
The foundations, which were offloaded at Portsmouth Marine Terminal, are single vertical, steel cylinders. They are being developed by EEW Special Pipe Constructions.
They will be installed into the sea floor to support the wind turbine generators at the American offshore wind facility.
To be built 43.4km off the coast of Virginia Beach, the CVOW project entails an investment of around $9.8bn. It will feature 176 wind turbines, three offshore substations, undersea cables, and new onshore transmission infrastructure.
The offshore wind facility is expected to generate enough clean energy for up to 660,000 households.
Besides, the CVOW project is anticipated to bring fuel savings of $3bn for customers during the project’s first 10 years of operation.
Construction of the offshore wind farm is scheduled to commence in early 2024 and is expected to be completed in late 2026.
Dominion Energy chair, president and CEO Bob Blue said: “The delivery of the first foundations is further evidence that our Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project continues to move forward on time and on budget to provide reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy to our customers.
“This regulated offshore wind project positions us, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, as leaders in the development of offshore wind and provides many benefits for our customers and local economies.”
Last month, the CVOW project secured the final environmental impact statement from the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
BOEM is anticipated to issue its record of decision on the offshore wind project shortly.
In August 2022, Dominion Energy received approval for the CVOW project from the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC).
