BOEM Gives Environmental Green Light for 1.1 GW Ocean Wind 1

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed its environmental analysis of the proposed 1.1 GW Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind project off the coast of New Jersey.

Ocean Wind LLC proposes to construct up to 98 wind turbines and up to three offshore substations within its lease area.

Ocean Wind 1 is the offshore wind project selected by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) through a solicitation held in 2019.

At its closest point, the project will be at least 13 nautical miles (about 24 kilometres) southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Export cables are anticipated to make landfall in Ocean County and Cape May County, New Jersey.

If all 98 wind turbines are approved for installation, the estimated range will be from 1,215 to 1,440 MW, capable of powering up to 504,000 homes per year. The project will feature GE Haliade-X 12 MW turbines, with an option to use the 13 MW variant.

In June last year, BOEM released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Ocean Wind 1.

BOEM also held three virtual public hearings to solicit additional feedback on DEIS from Tribal nations, local community members, commercial fishing interests, and other ocean users.

The next step is to issue a Record of Decision (ROD) on whether to approve the proposed project this summer, BOEM said. The ROD is the conclusion of the National Environmental Policy Act EIS process.

Ocean Wind LLC is a joint venture between Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) and Ørsted. At the beginning of this year, PSEG agreed to sell its 25 per cent equity stake in the project, providing the Danish company with 100 per cent ownership of the US project.

The transaction between Ørsted and PSEG is expected to close in the first half of 2023, pending the required closing conditions.

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