U.S. Interior Department Approves 130-Megawatt Wind Project Offshore Rhode Island

The U.S. Interior Department on Nov. 24 approved the construction and operation of the 130-megawatt South Fork Wind Project, a joint venture of Denmark-based Ørsted A/S and Eversource Energy, offshore Rhode Island. The decision marks the second federal approval of a commercial-scale offshore project, following the 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind I development off Massachusetts approved earlier this year. The development will contribute to the Biden administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030.

The project, capable of powering 70,000 homes, includes an alternating current export cable that will connect to the existing grid in East Hampton, New York. The agency is reviewing 10 additional offshore wind project plans, and intends to complete another five or more by 2025, for a total of at least 16 reviews, which represent over 19 gigawatts of clean energy. Further, the agency is actively engaged with states, Tribes and stakeholders to explore wind potential in the Gulf of Maine and Gulf of Mexico, as well as offshore Oregon and Hawaii.

The approval includes multiple measures that the company must take to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential negative effects of the project. These provisions were based on the input of multiple stakeholder groups, including indigenous tribes, ocean users, and federal, state, and local agencies. For example, construction must honor specifications in terms of placement and micrositing to protect existing ecosystems and vessel transit lanes. To ensure compliance with the approved plan, the company must submit a facility design report and a fabrication and installation report.