Green light for the largest offshore wind project in the US

Issued on April 9 following a 30-day public comment period, the permit authorises the construction and operation of the project, which will feature up to 176 wind turbines located 26 to 38 nautical miles from the coast.

“To have the largest offshore wind project right here in the Mid-Atlantic is both a privilege and a responsibility and we take our role in enabling clean energy initiatives very seriously,” said Adam Ortiz, EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator.

“This project will generate enough renewable energy to power nearly five times as many homes as there are in Richmond – all done with the environment and communities front of mind.”

Final hurdle

The permit is the 11th and final federal permit required to begin offshore construction, which is set to start in May 2024 with the installation of monopiles for the project, according to Dominion Energy.

This permit includes requirements such as the prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) permitting program and applicable Virginia Department of Environmental Quality requirements that regulate air pollutants from the construction and operation of the windfarm, including those from the vessels used to construct and support the project.

EPA coordinated its review of this permit in concert with other federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

Dominion Energy has already begun water commissioning of its main construction vessel for the porject, the US$625m Charybdid.

As reported earlier, DEME’s Orion DP3 installation vessel is currently on its way to United States to prepare for the installation of 176 monopiles.

The vessel is scheduled to arrive in Virginia’s Port of Norfolk in late April.

Once complete, the CVOW project will generate roughly 2,640 MW of renewable energy, enough to power 660,000 homes.

It will also make a significant contribution toward the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of generating 30 gigawatts of energy from offshore wind by 2030.