Dominion Energy selects Siemens Gamesa as preferred turbine supplier for largest offshore wind power project in United States
Dominion Energy announced Tuesday that it selected Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy as the preferred turbine supplier for what will be the largest offshore wind power project in the United States.
Dominion chose Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy through a competitive solicitation process based on a combination of cost, performance, and proven track record.
The offshore wind project will be located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach and will produce enough electricity to power 650,000 homes at rated wind speed.
Under the preferred supplier agreement, Siemens Gamesa will supply turbines from its Offshore Direct Drive platform. The final number of turbines will be determined during a later phase of the early development period. The agreement supports the submission of the project’s Construction and Operations Plan (COP) to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in 2020. Dominion Energy and Siemens Gamesa will also work together to assess offshore wind supply chain development opportunities in Virginia.
“Siemens Gamesa is a global leader in offshore wind technology and has proven to be a great partner in our CVOW project,” Mark D. Mitchell, Dominion Energy’s vice president of generation construction, said. “We look forward to continuing our relationship as we bring clean, renewable energy to our customers and support Governor Ralph Northam’s commitment to have Virginia lead the way in offshore wind.”
“Virginia aims to become a national leader in offshore wind, and we are encouraged to see progress toward that goal,” Virginia Gov. Ralph S. Northam, said. “For Virginia, it’s about two things: Jobs and a cleaner environment. Wind energy is one of our top economic priorities and a critical component of Virginia’s clean energy strategy, and this is an important step forward.”
Dominion Energy noted that ocean survey work required by BOEM will start this year and will be incorporated into the Construction and Operations Plan.
In June, the company began construction on a pilot offshore wind power project, which serves as an initial step in designing and building the larger project. The pilot project’s two six-megawatt turbines, manufactured by Dominion Energy, will be installed this spring and are expected to come online later this year. Learnings from the pilot project will support the permitting, design, and development of the larger wind project.
“Virginia state agencies have been tasked to develop a plan to produce 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030,” Steve Dayney, head of Offshore North America at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, said. “Offshore wind is a fast-growing and important contributor to meet this goal,” “We have always believed that the demonstration project is a gateway to something bigger and now Virginia is poised to benefit from wide-ranging economic benefits this project will bring.”
