New York State’s first offshore wind turbine ‘a momentous step forward’

Once completed, the project will be the first utility-scale offshore windfarm in federal waters and will help to address a growing reliability challenge for Long Island’s electrical grid while also generating enough energy to power approximately 70,000 Long Island homes.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said, “New York is paving the way towards a clean energy future. Installation of our first offshore wind turbine marks a momentous step forward.” All 12 turbines are expected to be installed by the end of 2023 or early 2024.  

Ørsted Group executive vice president and chief executive Americas David Hardy said, “South Fork Wind’s first turbine is a testament to American ingenuity and innovation. We are grateful for the hard work of our dedicated team and all our suppliers and contractors, as well as for the support of the Biden administration and the Hochul administration.”

Eversource Energy president, chief executive and chairman Joe Nolan said, “Today, South Fork Wind is making history. With the first turbine up, New York will soon start receiving clean, renewable energy powered from offshore wind. South Fork Wind is setting the stage for the many benefits that offshore wind will provide.”

Construction of South Fork Wind started in February 2022, beginning with the onshore export cable system that links the project to the local energy grid, which was completed early this year. The windfarm reached its ‘steel in the water’ milestone in June 2023 with the installation of the first monopile foundation.

Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel Aeolus is installing the turbines. Once in operation, South Fork Wind will be supported by US-built crew transfer vessels and eventually by America’s first service operation vessel.