New York Finalizes Contracts for Two Massive Offshore Wind Projects

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the finalization of contracts for two major offshore wind projects, Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind, as part of the state’s fourth offshore wind solicitation.

Empire Wind 1, a 810-megawatt project developed by Equinor, and Sunrise Wind, a 924-megawatt project developed by Ørsted and Eversource, will collectively generate over 1,700 megawatts, enough to power more than one million homes at full power. The output makes them the largest power generation projects in the state in over 35 years. Operations are set to begin in 2026.

“New York is leading the nation to build the clean energy industry, create good-paying jobs, and advance our climate goals,” Governor Hochul said. “Offshore wind is a critical piece of our clean energy blueprint to address the climate crisis.”

The projects will create over 800 near-term construction jobs and invest $2 billion in statewide economic development, impacting disadvantaged communities. Over the 25-year lifespan of the projects, Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind are projected to deliver more than $6 billion in economic benefits statewide.

Both projects have completed most federal and state permitting milestones.

Empire Wind 1 recently secured approval from the New York State Public Service Commission to connect to New York’s electric grid. The South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is being transformed into a long-term operations and maintenance hub for the project.

The projects are expected to have a modest financial impact on residential customers, with a predicted increase of approximately two percent, or about $2.09 per month, to average bills, according to the governor’s office.

The projects are part of New York’s 10-Point Action Plan to nurture the large-scale renewable energy industry and meet the state’s Climate Act goal of developing 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035.