(WASHINGTON) — The Department of the Interior on Tuesday announced its approval of the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind energy project – the nation’s ninth commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden’s leadership. With the approval, the department has approved more than 13 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind energy projects – enough to power nearly 5 million homes.
“Today’s approval of the Atlantic Shores South wind project follows an intentional collaborative process,” said Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Elizabeth Klein. “At BOEM, our dedication to engaging with tribal nations, states, other government agencies, industry, environmental organizations, and ocean users remains paramount, ensuring responsible energy development while addressing community concerns and safeguarding our marine ecosystems.”
In addition to the milestone Tuesday, since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, BOEM has held four offshore wind energy lease sales, including offshore New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and the first sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The department also recently announced a schedule of up to 12 additional lease sales through 2028.
The Atlantic Shores South wind project consists of two wind energy facilities – Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1 and 2 – and associated export cables, which are expected to generate up to 2,800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power close to 1 million homes with clean renewable energy. The project is approximately 8.7 miles offshore New Jersey at its closest point.
To provide energy to New Jersey, Atlantic Shores South proposed up to 200 wind turbine generators and up to 10 offshore substations with subsea transmission cables potentially making landfall in Atlantic City and Sea Girt, N.J. BOEM has approved construction of up to 195 wind turbine generators.
New England Wind projects advance
On Monday, BOEM announced its approval of the New England Wind construction and operations plan (COP), which authorizes construction and operation of two wind energy projects. This is the final approval of these two projects from BOEM, following the agency’s April record of decision.
The approval will permit the construction and operation of two offshore wind energy facilities, known as New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2, which together will have a total capacity of up to 2,600 megawatts that could power more than 900,000 homes each year.
The two projects are situated approximately 20 nautical miles (nm) south of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., and about 24 nm southwest of Nantucket, Mass. The COP for the two projects includes up to 129 wind turbine generators, up to five electric service platforms, and up to five offshore export cables transmitting electricity to onshore transmission systems in the town of Barnstable and Bristol County, Mass.
– Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
