Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project Latest Developments

May 24, 2024

It was a busy week for offshore wind in the Commonwealth! Check out exciting updates and highlights on progress of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project below!

DOMINION INSTALLS FIRST MONOPILE

On Wednesday, Dominion Energy plunged the first monopile – after the two existing pilot turbines – into the sea floor, kicking off construction that will ultimately bring 176 turbines online and will provide carbon free power to Virginia. Read more here…

PORT OF VIRGINIA SET TO BE EAST COAST OFFSHORE WIND INDUSTRY HUB

Virginia is poised to become an offshore wind energy industry hub in the coming years thanks to infrastructure developments being brought to the Port of Virginia to support the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project construction, as highlighted in The Maritime Executive this week.

Joseph Harris, a spokesman for the Port of Virginia, said that the Port is “supporting this industry by providing a modern platform from which private industry (Dominion) can safely and efficiently operate.” Dominion has leased 72 acres of the Portsmouth Marine Terminal to be used as a staging area for the construction of the turbines that will make up the CVOW project.

Leaders at the Port of Virginia have previously highlighted the Port as an optimum location to serve as an offshore wind industry hub because there are no overhead obstructions that would lead to any restrictions when it comes to the transportation of large cargo or specialized vessels. So far, the port has served its purpose, with the first sets of wind turbine bases already being sent out to the construction site 27 miles off the coast.

The opportunities that will come from Virginia taking a front-row seat to this growing industry are countless. Given the projected job growth coming from the CVOW project alone, we can expect to see even more economic invigoration and clean energy job creation as this mid-Atlantic offshore wind industry hub continues to grow.

HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY