(RHODE ISLAND and CONNECTICUT) — Revolution Wind has achieved its “steel in the water” milestone with the installation of the project’s first turbine foundation, a momentous occasion for Rhode Island and Connecticut’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm.
A centerpiece of the region’s blue economy, Orsted and Eversource’s Revolution Wind is directly creating roughly 1,200 jobs across Rhode Island and Connecticut and accelerating the states’ clean energy sectors with significant investments in workforce development, union partnerships, shipbuilding, and port infrastructure.
Revolution Wind is the country’s first multi-state offshore wind project. Once in operation, it will generate 400 megawatts of clean, affordable offshore wind power for Rhode Island and 304 megawatts of the same for Connecticut, enough clean energy to power more than 350,000 homes across both states and bring each closer to reaching their ambitious climate targets.
“Rhode Island is all in on building a climate-resilient future, and the progress happening at our first utility-scale offshore wind farm is exciting and encouraging,” said Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee. “Harnessing one of our state’s most abundant natural resources will be a game-changer for our clean energy future and increasing good-paying jobs in this key economic sector.”
“Offshore wind is a key player in Connecticut’s clean energy transition and future, as we work towards achieving a zero-carbon electric grid while delivering local investment and jobs at the same time,” said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. “We are proud of the role Connecticut has played to-date in launching the industry for our country. Now, with Revolution Wind gearing up, we will see even more local jobs on the ground at State Pier and soon have more clean energy powering our state’s homes and businesses.”
Revolution Wind has now embarked on a dynamic offshore construction phase, powered by hundreds of union workers, three Northeast ports, and a variety of vessels – all supporting work to install the wind farm’s foundations, two offshore substations, inter-array and export cables, and wind turbines. All the work is done according to Revolution Wind’s local, state and federal approvals.
Three New England ports are playing central roles in the effort to build Revolution Wind:
• In New London, Conn., the first of Revolution Wind’s turbine components have started arriving at State Pier, the staging and marshaling port for the project, where they will be assembled by local union labor.
• In Providence, R.I., crews are readying for loadout of advanced foundation components, which were built by local union labor at Orsted and Eversource’s construction hub at ProvPort.
• Revolution Wind’s crew helicopters and Rhode Island-built crew transfer vessels are based out of that state’s Quonset Point.
During the offshore construction period, construction and transport barges, cable installation vessels, tugboats, supply and support vessels, and protected-species monitor vessels will be active at the offshore site. Vessel operators, engineers, welders, scientists and dozens of others are involved in this operation. Meanwhile, onshore construction continues in North Kingstown, R.I., on the project’s transmission system.
This past weekend, America’s offshore wind supply chain marked another major milestone with the christening of the first-ever American-built, owned and crewed offshore wind service operations vessel, ECO Edison. Built by more than 600 workers at shipyards in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, and with components sourced from 34 states, ECO Edison will play an integral role operating and maintaining Orsted and Eversource’s offshore wind projects in the Northeast, including Revolution Wind.
The Revolution Wind project site, roughly 15 miles south of the Rhode Island coast and 32 miles southeast of the Connecticut coast, is adjacent to Orsted and Eversource’s South Fork Wind, America’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm. Revolution Wind is expected to be in operation in 2025.
– Orsted
