SOURCE:
https://patch.com/new-york/easthampton/officials-mark-completion-milestone-south-fork-wind-project
Lisa Finn,Patch Staff - March 14, 2024
"There are very few moments in time that we can see positive change for our future and this is one of them."
MONTAUK, NY — It was a milestone day in Montauk Thursday as Governor Kathy Hochul today, alongside other elected officials, announced the completion of the South Fork Wind project, with all 12 offshore wind turbines constructed and the wind farm successfully delivering power to Long Island and the Rockaways.
New York is now home to the nation's first utility-scale offshore wind farm, she said.
"When I broke ground on the South Fork project, I made a promise to build a cleaner, greener future for all New Yorkers," Hochul said. "I’m keeping to that promise, and South Fork Wind is now delivering clean energy to tens of thousands of homes and businesses on Long Island. With more projects in the pipeline, this is just the beginning of New York’s offshore wind future and I look forward to continued partnership with the Biden Administration and local leaders to build a clean and resilient energy grid."
At full capacity, the approximately 130-megawatt wind farm will generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 70,000 homes, Hochul said. The renewable energy is generated roughly 35 miles off the coast of Montauk, and will eliminate up to six million tons of carbon emissions over the life of the project, the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the road for the next 20 years, she said.
First approved by the Long Island Power Authority board of trustees in 2017, South Fork Wind began construction in February 2022, beginning with the onshore export cable system that links the project to the Long Island electric grid. The wind farm reached its "steel in the water" milestone in June 2023 with the installation of the project’s first monopile foundation, and its final turbine was installed in February, Hochul said.
South Fork Wind’s successful completion supports progress toward New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requirements to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and install nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035, Hochul said. She also recently announced two offshore wind project awards, Empire Wind I and Sunrise Wind, for over 1,730 megawatts and $2 billion in near-term economic development investments.
Hundreds of U.S. workers and three Northeast ports supported South Fork Wind’s construction, helping to stand up the foundations of a new domestic supply chain that’s creating local union jobs across the Northeast and beyond, Hochul said.
The onshore cable scope of work alone created more than 100 union jobs for Long Island skilled trades workers, Hochul said.
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said he applauded Hochul’s commitment to advancing a clean energy economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to benefit Long Islanders and all New Yorkers.
Ørsted Group EVP and CEO Americas David Hardy added: "From the first steel in the water to the final turbine, our hard-working offshore wind construction team has put South Fork Wind on the path to making American energy history. We’re incredibly proud of our dedicated project, permit and construction teams, and all those who have made this milestone possible. We’re thankful, too, for the tremendous leadership of the Biden and Hochul administrations, and for the steadfast support of the East Hampton community and beyond."
Eversource Energy chairman, president and Chief Executive Officer Joe Nolan said: "We’re incredibly proud to complete South Fork Wind, the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm in federal waters. Thanks to the local union workers and contractors who helped us build South Fork Wind’s transmission system and onshore substation, clean energy is flowing to the Long Island grid."
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine reflected: "Today, history is made in Suffolk County. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul and our representatives in the federal government, we have been able to set an example for the rest of New York State on embracing new technologies and bringing wind-generated energy to an entire region while making utility costs more affordable for our residents. It is a great achievement."
East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez also lauded the efforts: "We are immensely proud to witness the completion of the South Fork Wind Farm project, 10 years after the East Hampton town board demonstrated the courage and vision to become the first municipality in New York State to set the goal of meeting 100 percent of our community’s energy consumption needs with renewable energy sources by 2030. We are thrilled to have played a direct role in the success of the project when the town board voted 4 to 1, granting the easement to bring the power of wind ashore, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future for generations to come. And we are grateful to Governor Hochul for her exceptional leadership, dedication, and continued commitment to championing statewide renewable energy initiatives."
Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito weighed in: "Offshore wind power creates the path to free our nation from our addiction to fossil fuels and establishes a gateway to new beginnings for cleaner energy generation. We’re excited to celebrate this monumental occasion where yesterday’s dream becomes today’s reality. There are very few moments in time that we can see positive change for our future and this is one of them."
Renewable Energy Long Island Executive Director Gordian Raacke said the completion of the South Fork Wind Farm marks a pivotal moment for offshore wind "and the urgently needed transition to renewable energy here on Long Island and New York. The years of hard work of so many paid off and prove that we can, in fact, build a clean energy economy."
Group for the East End President Bob DeLuca added: "We applaud the completion of South Fork Wind, and the hope it inspires for both a clean energy future, and a sustaining commitment to meaningful climate action for Long Island, and across New York State."
And, said Concerned Citizens of Montauk Executive Director Kay Tyler: "For more than 50 years, Montauk has been at the forefront of environmental protection, and we are so proud to have South Fork Wind associated with our tiny-but-mighty hamlet. This landmark project, right in our backyard, ushers in a new era in clean and renewable energy for our community, our state, and our country, now and for future generations."
Not everyone has been thrilled with the project: Over the years, some concerns were raised by environmentalists. Also, local fishermen had questions about the possible effects on their catch, the future of cod fishing — and also, if the project would be visible from the shore, which Hochul assured it would not be.