Ocean Winds, a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between EDP Renewables (EDPR) and Engie, has secured multiple permits for its 1.28GW SouthCoast Wind 1 offshore project in the US.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) has approved the project’s application for the construction and operation of the transmission facilities at Brayton Point, located in Somerset, Massachusetts.
Additionally, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued a Chapter 91 Waterways licence, authorising nearshore construction and equipment installation for the SouthCoast Wind 1 offshore project.
Besides, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) has approved the American offshore wind project’s federal consistency review.
By securing these permits, the SouthCoast Wind 1 offshore project remains closer to delivering renewable energy to New England’s electric grid by the end of this decade.
The SouthCoast Wind 1 offshore project marks the initial phase of Ocean Winds’ 2.4GW SouthCoast Wind offshore wind initiative. It will be developed within a lease area located over 48.3km south of Martha’s Vineyard and 32.2km south of Nantucket.
Once fully operational, the SouthCoast Wind offshore project is anticipated to deliver low-cost, clean energy capable of powering more than one million households.
The proposed cable route of SouthCoast Wind 1 facility will extend through federal waters and Massachusetts state waters. It will pass through Rhode Island’s Sakonnet River and portions of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, before entering Mt. Hope Bay.
The permit also authorises a route from Mt. Hope Bay, up the Lee River, and into Brayton Point in Somerset, Massachusetts, near the site of the planned converter station and grid connection.
Ocean Winds North America and SouthCoast Wind permitting head Jennifer Flood said: “These important permitting milestones bring our project closer to construction. We are grateful to the Commonwealth’s thorough review and look forward to providing clean power, good jobs and economic growth to the region.”
According to the EFSB, the SouthCoast Wind 1 project emerged as the superior choice among evaluated alternatives, owing to its cost-effectiveness, minimal environmental impact, and capability to deliver reliable energy supply for Massachusetts.
The board’s approval mandates designated construction hours and continuous air and seabed monitoring to minimise environmental disruption.
The SouthCoast Wind 1 project has already secured power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Massachusetts and Rhode Island and is negotiating contracts with major utilities in both states.
Rhode Island’s Energy Facility Siting Board has reopened its review of the offshore wind project’s proposed electrical infrastructure.
Construction of the project is slated to begin in late 2025, upon securing pending federal, state, and local permits and a final investment decision.
The SouthCoast Wind project aims to revitalise the former coal-fired Brayton Point site into a clean energy hub, fostering local supply chain growth, creating jobs, and providing long-term revenue stability for the region.
