As part of the initial commissioning process, at 11:52 pm on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, one turbine delivered approximately 5 MW of power, with additional testing expected to happen both on and offshore in the coming weeks. The project expects to have five turbines operating at full capacity early in 2024.
“This is a historic moment for the American offshore wind industry” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. “Soon, Vineyard Wind will be producing power equivalent to over 400,000 Massachusetts households. This is clean, affordable energy made possible by the many advocates, public servants, union workers, and business leaders who worked for decades to accomplish this achievement. As we look ahead, Massachusetts is on a path toward energy independence thanks to our nation-leading work to stand up the offshore wind industry.”
Power from the project interconnects to the New England grid in Barnstable, transmitted by underground cables that connect to a substation further inland on Cape Cod. Once completed, the project will consist of 62 wind turbines generating 806 Megawatts, enough to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.
Tim Evans, Partner at CIP, and Head of North America, added that for the first time, power is flowing to American consumers from a commercial-scale wind project, marking the dawn of a new era for American renewables and the green transition.
“By delivering first power, we have broken new ground and shown a viable path forward with power that is renewable, locally produced, and affordable” said Mr Evans. “Much of the credit for this milestone must go to our local partners, labour leaders and the project’s skilled union workforce, and local communities from New Bedford to Barnstable.”
Vineyard Wind 1 is jointly owned by CIP through its flagship fund, CI II and III and Avangrid. The project is being developed and constructed by Avangrid and Vineyard Offshore, CIP’s affiliated development company working on US offshore projects. In August 2022, Avangrid signed an agreement to assume responsibility as the operations and maintenance services provider for Vineyard Wind 1 once the project achieves commercial operations.
“2023 was a historic year defined by steel in the water and people at work” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “Today, we begin a new chapter and welcome 2024 by delivering the first clean offshore wind power to the grid in Massachusetts. We’ve arrived at a watershed moment for climate action in the US, and a dawn for the American offshore wind industry. As we build on this tremendous progress and work to deliver the full capacity of this historic project, we continue to stand proudly with all the partners that made this achievement possible, including the Biden Administration and the Healey-Driscoll Administration.”
Vineyard Wind began offshore construction in late 2022, achieved steel-in-the-water in June, and completed America’s first offshore substation in July. Construction flows through the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. In July 2021, Vineyard Wind signed the first Project Labour Agreement for an offshore wind project in the United States, which outlined the creation of 500 union jobs through the project. On December 14, 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.
An 806-megawatt project located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the road annually.
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