FID taken on 130-MW South Fork wind project, construction begins

Denmark’s Ørsted A/S (CPH:ORSTED) and utility Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES) have taken a final investment decision (FID) on the roughly 130-MW South Fork project off Long Island, set to create New York state’s first offshore wind park.

The milestone was announced by Ørsted on Friday and was followed by a celebration that marked the official start of construction activities.

To be located 35 miles (56.3km) east of Montauk Point and 19 miles southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island, the 12-turbine wind farm is due to become operational at the end of 2023. Its 11-MW Siemens Gamesa turbine generators will be capable of producing enough electricity for about 70,000 homes in New York. The project was selected in 2015 to deliver electricity to Long Island Power Authority and PSEG Long Island, a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group.

Ørsted and Eversource developed South Fork through a 50/50 joint venture (JV). The partners last month secured final approval for the construction and operations plan (COP) of the project from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), two months ager the agency cleared the scheme’s environmental plan.

Construction works on the project will start with site preparation and onshore activities related to the underground duct bank system and interconnection facility, Ørsted said in January. Fabrication of the project’s 1,500-tonne offshore substation is undertaken by Kiewit Offshore Services.

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