The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced its approval of the construction and operations plan (COP) for the 2400MW SouthCoast offshore wind project.
This is the final approval needed for the project from BOEM following the Department of the Interior’s December 2024 Record of Decision.
Located about 26 nautical miles (nm) south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 nm south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the SouthCoast Wind Project will be able to generate up to 2.4GW of offshore wind energy for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The approved project includes the construction of up to 141 wind turbines, up to five offshore substation platforms and up to eight offshore export cables located in up to two corridors, potentially making landfall in Brayton Point or Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Compared to SouthCoast’s original proposed project, the selected alternative removes six wind turbine positions in the northeastern portion of the Lease Area to reduce potential impacts on foraging habitat and potential displacement of wildlife.
“We are proud to announce BOEM’s final approval of the SouthCoast Wind project, the nation’s eleventh commercial-scale offshore wind energy project, which will power more than 840,000 homes,” said BOEM director Elizabeth Klein.
“Under the Biden-Harris administration, we have made remarkable strides in advancing a clean energy economy, including approving more than 19 gigawatts of offshore wind energy.
“Our offshore wind energy projects are opening doors to meaningful economic opportunities by generating jobs, boosting economic growth, and fighting climate change.”
BOEM considered feedback from Tribal Nations, government agencies, ocean users, and other interested parties before reaching this decision. The feedback resulted in required measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any potential impacts from the project on marine life and other important ocean uses, such as fishing.
In addition to the approval of the nation’s first 11 commercial-scale offshore wind projects, BOEM has held six offshore commercial wind lease auctions since 2022 – including a record-breaking sale in the New York Bight and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of Maine coasts.