The 806MW Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind project has reached a significant milestone by delivering power to the New England grid for the first time, as announced by owners Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). In the initial commissioning process, one turbine generated approximately 5MW of power, with additional testing scheduled both on and offshore in the coming weeks. The project aims to have five turbines operating at full capacity early in 2024.
Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra expressed the historic nature of the achievement, noting that the delivery of the first clean offshore wind power to the Massachusetts grid marks a watershed moment for climate action in the United States and a dawn for the American offshore wind industry. Azagra acknowledged the collaborative effort of various partners, including the Biden Administration and the Healey-Driscoll Administration.
Tim Evans, CIP Partner and Head of North America, emphasized the milestone's significance for the renewables industry in North America, highlighting the delivery of power to American consumers from a commercial-scale wind project. Evans credited local partners, labor leaders, skilled union workforces, and communities from New Bedford to Barnstable for their contributions to this achievement.
Power from the Vineyard Wind 1 project interconnects to the New England grid in Barnstable, transmitted by underground cables connecting to a substation further inland on Cape Cod. Once completed, the project, featuring 62 turbines, is expected to generate enough power to supply over 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.
