The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released draft environmental impact statements (EISs) for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) and the Sunrise Wind projects for public review and feedback.
The two offshore wind projects, if approved, are expected to deliver more than 4GW of clean electricity. This would be sufficient to power more than 1.3 million households, said BOEM.
The CVOW project is to be built by Dominion Energy on the US outer continental shelf (OCS), about 44.4km east of Virginia Beach. It is expected to produce up to 3GW of clean energy.
The construction and operations plan (COP) for the offshore wind farm, which would comprise 205 wind turbine generators, was filed by Dominion Energy in December 2020.
With an investment of around $9.8bn, Dominion Energy expects to begin the offshore construction of the wind project in 2024 and complete it by the end of 2026.
The construction and operations plan for the Sunrise Wind project was submitted by Sunrise Wind, a 50-50 joint venture (JV) between Ørsted and Eversource.
To be built offshore New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, the Sunrise Wind offshore project is expected to generate up to 1.03GW of electricity.
The offshore wind energy facility could feature up to 94 wind turbine generators and associated export cables.
BOEM Director Amanda Lefton said: “BOEM is committed to President Biden and Secretary Haaland’s vision for a clean energy future – one that will combat climate change, create good-paying union jobs, and ensure economic opportunities are accessible to all communities.
“Central to that is the comprehensive and rigorous review of projects. As BOEM continues to make unprecedented progress, we will continue to work collaboratively with our Tribal, state, and local government partners to harness the transformative potential of US offshore wind, while avoiding or minimising potential impacts to marine life and other ocean users.”
The EIS drafts will be open for a 60-day public comment period, which ends on 14 February 2023.
