Environmental review gets go-ahead as Kitty Hawk offshore wind project enters public comment period
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) signaled forward momentum for Avangrid Renewables LLC’s Kitty Hawk North wind project off the East Coast by issuing a Notice of Intent to prepare a new Environmental Impact Study (EIS).
With that notice, BOEM launched a 30-day public comment period that will be used to set the scope of the EIS, a major permitting study required for such projects to be approved. If the project gains approval in that study, it will be the first approved project within Avangrid Renewables’ Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area, which reaches beyond the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina. More specifically, the at least 800 MW Kitty Hawk North project is located 27 miles off the coast of North Carolina, where it spreads across nearly 50,000 acres.
“Kitty Hawk builds on our successful development of over 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind projects in New England,” Alejandro de Hoz, president and CEO of Avangrid Renewables, said. “Kitty Hawk can transform the energy mix of Virginia and North Carolina while delivering a triple-win for the environment, coastal communities, and the region’s economy. We look forward to continuing our work with state and local leaders, BOEM, and communities to begin the formal environmental review and ultimately deliver this transformational project.”
When finished, the Kitty Hawk project in total would provide up to 2,500 MW, or enough power to provide for 700,000 homes. Its development also comes when the state of Virginia is pursuing a 5,200 MW clean energy target, while in North Carolina, an executive order has mandated offshore wind targets of 8,000 MW. Avangrid estimates Kitty Hawk North alone will generate as much as $2 billion for Virginia and North Carolina between 2021 and 2030.
Avangrid Renewables is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc.
