A GE Haliade-X Turbine Stands in the Vineyard Wind 1 Project Area South of Martha’s Vineyard. Credit: Eric Haynes
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has given the green light to Avangrid’s New England Wind Construction and Operations Plan (COP), authorizing the construction and operation of two significant wind energy projects.
The final approval follows the agency’s April 2024 Record of Decision.
“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to advancing offshore wind energy projects like New England Wind to create jobs, drive economic growth, and cut harmful climate pollution,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “We are proud to announce BOEM’s final approval of the New England Wind projects. They represent a major milestone in our efforts to expand clean energy production and combat climate change.”
The approval permits the construction and operation of two offshore wind energy facilities, New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2, with a combined capacity of up to 2,600 megawatts, enough to power more than 900,000 homes annually. The projects are located approximately 20 nautical miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and about 24 nautical miles southwest of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The COP includes up to 129 wind turbine generators, up to five electric service platforms, and up to five offshore export cables to transmit electricity to onshore transmission systems in Barnstable and Bristol County, Massachusetts.
The 791-megawatt New England Wind 1 project fully permitted and set to begin construction in 2025, delivering power by 2029. It will be located south of Avangrid’s Vineyard Wind 1 project, which is currently under construction and providing power to 64,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.
By securing all federal, state, regional, and local permits, New England Wind 1 has the potential to put shovels in the ground next year and deliver thousands of jobs, local investment, and needed clean energy before the end of the decade,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra.
BOEM’s decision incorporated feedback from Tribes, other government agencies, ocean users, and various stakeholders to avoid, minimize, or mitigate potential impacts on marine life and other ocean uses, such as fishing.
“This decision furthers the renewable energy infrastructure New England needs to meet electricity demands, strengthen the grid, and provide clean air for its citizens,” said Anne Reynolds, Vice President for Offshore Wind at the American Clean Power Association.
Since the Biden-Harris administration took office, the Department of the Interior has approved eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects in federal waters and held four offshore wind lease sales, including areas offshore New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The Department recently announced plans for up to 12 additional lease sales through 2028 and continues to support union-built projects and a domestic-based supply chain.
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