Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has been named as the preferred turbine supplier for Dominion Energy’s 2.64-GW Virginia offshore wind project in the US, the largest offshore wind project in the rapidly growing US market
The final number of units and turbine model to be supplied remain to be determined. All installation work is expected to be complete by 2026.
The agreement is subject to certain conditions including Dominion Energy’s final investment decision, governmental permitting and other required approvals. The deal also includes a long-term service and maintenance agreement.
Siemens Gamesa chief executive Markus Tacke said, “Signing this preferred supplier agreement with Dominion Energy attests to the enormously exciting growth taking place in the US offshore wind industry and across the globe."
Once online, the project is expected to provide enough clean energy to power 650,000 homes at rated wind speed, avoiding 3.7M tonnes per year of carbon emissions compared to fossil fuel-based power generation.
Siemens Gamesa head of offshore North America Steve Dayney said, “Offshore wind is already one of the fastest-growing, most important contributors on which Virginia state agencies can draw to reach their ambitious renewable energy goals. Receiving 30% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 is fully feasible, and we are eager to lead the way.
“We have always believed that the Coastal Virginia demonstration project currently underway with Dominion Energy is a gateway to something bigger. Now Virginia is poised to benefit from the wide-ranging economic benefits the Virginia offshore wind project will bring.”
Dominion Energy’s two-turbine, 12-MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project is the first offshore wind project to be built in federal waters in the US and will utilise Siemens Gamesa’s 6-MW SWT-6.0-154 turbines.
CVOW is due to come online in 2020 in a research lease area adjacent to the site of the 2.64-GW project.
The agreement with Dominion Energy also provides for early work to support project development, including turbine layouts which will be used in the construction and operations plan (COP) submittal to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in late 2020.
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