Dominion Energy installs 2 turbines for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind

Dominion Energy installed two 12-megawatt turbines for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.

This the first offshore wind farm to be approved by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and installed in federal waters. It is only the second constructed in the United States.

The turbines will now undergo acceptance testing before becoming operational later this summer. It will generate enough renewable energy to power 3,000 Virginia homes.

“The construction of these two turbines is a major milestone not only for offshore wind in Virginia but also for offshore wind in the United States,” Dominion Energy Chairman, President and CEO Thomas Farrell said. “Clean energy jobs have the potential to serve as a catalyst to re-ignite the economy following the impacts of the pandemic and continue driving down carbon emissions.”

Offshore wind generation is a key part of Dominion Energy’s plan to meet standards outlined in the Virginia Clean Economy Act and to achieve net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions by 2050.

“This project propels Virginia to national leadership in America’s transition to clean energy,” Gov. Ralph Northam said. “It’s also shaping a new industry that will bring thousands of new clean energy jobs to Virginia. By working together, Virginia is shaping an investment that’s good for workers, good for business, and good for the American economy.”

Orsted, the largest offshore wind developer in the world, is the offshore engineering, procurement, and construction lead for the project.

“We are immensely proud of the work our teams and suppliers were able to complete under unprecedented circumstances,” Thomas Brostrøm, CEO of Orsted North America Offshore, said. “These two turbines are another monumental step for offshore wind in the U.S. The future remains bright for this new American industry.”