Electric utility Dominion Energy plans to develop a 2600MW offshore wind project, following on from the state governor’s executive order targeting 30% renewable supply by 2030.
Dominion Energy plans to move forward with its commercial offshore wind project in three phases, each totalling 880MW.
The first phase of the buildout will support initial generation of wind energy by 2024, while additional phases will come online in 2025 and 2026.
As a first step towards developing the project Dominion Energy has filed an application with regional grid operator PJM Interconnection.
Ocean survey work is expected to begin in 2020 and a construction and operations plan will be submitted in 2022.
Under Executive Order 43, 30% of the state’s electricity system will be powered by renewable energy resources by 2030, with the view to begin producing 100% of electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050.
Under the order Dominion is expected to bring online 2.5MW of offshore wind by 2026 to contribute to the target.
The utility said it “looks forward” to working with the administration of state governor Ralph Northam and other partners on next steps in public policy needed to “realise both the clean energy and economic potential of offshore wind.”
Dominion vice president of generation construction Mark Mitchell said: “Governor Ralph Northam has made it clear Virginia is committed to leading the way in offshore wind. We are rising to this challenge with this 2600MW commercial offshore wind development.”
If approved, the project will be located in an area more than 35 km off the coast of Virginia, that Dominion holds a commercial lease for from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
The utility began onshore construction in June on its 12MW Coastal Virginia offshore wind project, which is the first fully permitted wind project in US federal waters.
Dominion use experience from the permitting, design and development of Coastal Virginia as it goes through a similar process for commercial offshore wind development.