NEW YORK, NY – Governor Kathy Hochul today inaugurated the construction of the Sunrise Wind project, New York’s most ambitious offshore wind initiative to date, with a capacity to generate 924 megawatts of power. This project is poised to supply clean energy to roughly 600,000 homes in New York. The announcement was made at the Boys and Girls Club of Bellport on Long Island, marking the official launch of construction activities.
The news comes after federal regulators shut down the Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Nantucket last week. Debris from a shattered turbine blade littered beaches forcing the island to close beaches amid serious public safety hazards.
In conjunction with the groundbreaking, Governor Hochul unveiled New York’s fifth offshore wind solicitation under the state’s 10-Point Action Plan to bolster clean energy projects. The deadline for the final proposals is set for September 9, 2024. This move underscores New York’s commitment to enhancing its green economy and mitigating climate change impacts.
The Sunrise Wind project, situated approximately 30 miles east of Montauk, promises substantial economic benefits, including a $700 million investment in Suffolk County and over 800 direct jobs during its construction phase. It is part of New York’s aggressive push in the offshore wind sector, following the successful deployment of other projects like Ørsted’s South Fork Wind and the Empire Wind 1 project.
The project has cleared all significant regulatory hurdles, having received the final nod from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for its Construction and Operations Plan (COP) as of June 21, 2024.
Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, praised the initiative, highlighting its role in catalyzing job creation and economic growth. Today’s groundbreaking, along with the new solicitation launch, represents a significant leap in New York’s journey towards a sustainable energy future.