Avangrid unveils Vineyard Wind 1, the first U.S. offshore wind substation
Avangrid offered an initial look at its Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind substation this week, the first of its kind in the nation and soon to collect power from 62 working wind turbine generators.
“This marks another exciting milestone as we move closer to delivering offshore wind power to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO, said. “We’ve been waiting for the opportunity to showcase the hard work our team has been putting in behind the scenes to make Vineyard Wind 1 a reality. This project is pioneering the offshore wind industry for the United States and paving the way for the country’s clean energy future.”
Power will be funneled from the substation to the mainland through two export cables running to Massachusetts. The wind farm is a first for the country, but the substation is also a record setter for the Iberdrola Group, which owns Avangrid as it is the company’s largest substation ever installed.
That substation consists of two main components: the topside and the jacket. It weighs in at more than 5,000 tons and put it all toward the collection and exporting of electricity generated by offshore turbines in a lease area to the onshore power grid.
Vineyard Wind 1 should be operational before year’s end, at which point it will add 806 MW to the region’s grid – enough to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses.
