806 MW Vineyard Wind 1 Offshore Wind Farm Delivers First Power

January 3, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Vineyard Wind offshore wind project, being developed by Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), has delivered its first power to the New England grid in Massachusetts.

As part of the initial commissioning process, on Tuesday 2 January 2024, one turbine delivered approximately 5 MW of power, with additional testing expected to happen both on and offshore in the coming weeks, according to Avangrid, a member of the Iberdrola Group.

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“This is a historic moment for the American offshore wind industry. Soon, Vineyard Wind will be producing power equivalent of over 400,000 Massachusetts households,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.

Power from the Vineyard Wind offshore wind project interconnects to the New England grid in Barnstable, transmitted by underground cables that connect to a substation further inland on Cape Cod.

Located some 15 miles (approximately 24 kilometres) off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind 1 will comprise 62 GE Haliade-X 13 MW wind turbines planned to be installed by DEME’s jack-up Sea Installer.

Vineyard Wind began offshore construction in late 2022, achieved steel-in-the-water in June, and completed the nation’s first offshore substation in July. Construction flows through the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal.

At the beginning of December 2023, Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners announced that five wind turbines were in place.

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“This truly is a milestone for offshore wind and the entire renewable industry in North America. For the first time we have power flowing to the American consumers from a commercial-scale wind project, which marks the dawn of a new era for American renewables and the green transition,” said Tim Evans, Partner at CIP and Head of North America.

In July 2021, Vineyard Wind signed the first Project Labor Agreement for an offshore wind farm in the United States, which outlined the creation of 500 union jobs through the project. In December 2023, project shareholders announced that Vineyard Wind 1 has delivered nearly double of its commitment through the PLA by creating 937 union jobs through two years of construction.

Once completed the project will generate 806 MW, enough to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.