The South Fork Wind offshore wind farm, situated off the coast of New York state, has reached a significant milestone as developers successfully installed the project's inaugural monopile foundation. This achievement marks the commencement of the wind turbine installation phase for South Fork Wind, a momentous step in the final construction phase of the 12-turbine, 130MW project.
Orsted and Eversource, the joint developers of South Fork Wind, are now preparing to install the offshore substation, which has been manufactured in the United States. This upcoming milestone will further propel the project towards completion.
Having initiated its journey in February 2022 with the onshore export cable system, South Fork Wind is on track to become one of the first utility-scale offshore wind farms to be finalized in federal waters. The project is expected to commence operations by the year's end, supporting the goals set forth in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act to develop 9GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul praised the development, stating, “New York is leading offshore wind development and building a green economy that will support hundreds of good-paying jobs and benefit generations to come. This progress on building the first utility-scale offshore wind project in the country cements New York as a national hub for the offshore wind industry.”
David Hardy, the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Americas of Orsted, expressed his excitement, saying, “South Fork Wind is now one giant step closer to meeting our mission to deliver renewable offshore wind energy to Long Island's East End. As we reach a milestone nearly a decade in the making, we're reflective of all those who have long championed this project in the East Hampton community and beyond. The bold leadership of the Biden-Harris and Hochul administrations is putting New York and the nation on a path to a cleaner future. Thanks to American ingenuity, South Fork Wind is jumpstarting a new US jobs engine and tackling climate change head-on.”
Joe Nolan, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of Eversource Energy, expressed gratitude towards the administrations and supporters who made the project possible, stating, “We are thankful to the Biden-Harris and Hochul administrations, as well as the countless state and local supporters, without whom this critical project would not have been possible.”
Throughout the summer and fall, South Fork Wind's construction activities will take place approximately 35 miles east of Montauk, NY. The project site will see the presence of construction and transport barges, tugboats, crew vessels, and protected special observer monitoring vessels. The installation of foundations is being carried out by the offshore installation vessel Bokalift 2, owned by Boskalis.
The advanced foundation components, constructed by union workers, will be transported to the site for installation. Subsequently, the wind farm's Siemens Gamesa 11MW wind turbines will be installed, solidifying South Fork Wind's position as a pioneering renewable energy project in the region.
