First Installation Campaign at 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project Completed

November 4, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Dominion Energy has revealed that 78 monopile foundations and four pin piles for one offshore substation were installed at the 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project in the US during the first installation season.

Dominion Energy said that it achieved its initial goal of installing at least 70 monopiles into the seafloor 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.

According to the developer, CVOW construction remains on budget and on schedule to be completed in late 2026.

The 176-turbine offshore wind project is now 43 per cent complete, with monopile installations set to resume in May 2025 in line with the construction schedule.

The monopiles, produced by EEW SPC, are being installed by DEME’s vessel Orion, which began operations in May from the Portsmouth Marine Terminal, the staging area for the CVOW foundations.

For the next few months, Dominion Energy said it will focus on installing the first offshore substation, continued export cable lays, onshore transmission construction, and placement of transition pieces on top of monopiles in preparation for turbine installation starting in 2025.

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“Our Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project shows that regulated offshore wind works in the United States. As we face unprecedented customer demand, offshore wind is critical to our diverse, all-of-the-above generation mix to keep the lights on for our customers with affordable, reliable and increasingly clean energy”, said Robert M. Blue, Dominion Energy’s chair, president, and chief executive officer.

CVOW, the largest offshore wind project under construction in the US, will consist of 176 Siemens Gamesa 14 MW wind turbines that will generate enough renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes and is expected to generate fuel savings of USD 3 billion for customers during the first ten years of operation, stated the developer.

Recently, Dominion Energy sold a 50 per cent noncontrolling interest in the 2.6 GW offshore wind project to Stonepeak. The company will retain full operational control of the construction and operations of the offshore wind project, and Stonepeak will have customary minority rights.