US Wind has received state permits to connect its offshore wind power to the regional electrical grid in Sussex County, Delaware.
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has approved three permit applications for the Maryland Offshore Wind project.
The permits – Subaqueous Lands Permit, Wetlands Permit, and Beach Preservation Coastal Construction Permit – advance US Wind’s onshore development activities.
US Wind’s chief executive officer Jeff Grybowski said: “This is an important step forward. After a thorough, science-based review by DNREC’s experts, and feedback from the public, we are thrilled to have secured these final approvals to move forward on delivering massive amounts of clean energy to the region.
“Offshore wind will help lower electricity bills for the people of Delaware, satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, and improve air quality across the state, all while supporting good local jobs.
“These projects will be a home run for the people of Delaware for decades to come.”
DNREC’s final approvals allow US Wind to responsibly land its power cables underneath 3R’s Beach parking lot in the Delaware Seashore State Park and safely route them under the Indian River Bay, ultimately connecting to the regional electrical grid at Delmarva Power and Light’s Indian River substation in Dagsboro, Delaware.
DNREC’s permit approvals follow closely on the heels of major advancements on the federal level.
Last week, US Wind announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) had issued its final approval of its Construction and Operations Plan (COP), marking the agency’s final permit on US Wind’s federal permitting application.