Empire Offshore Wind has filed a request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to postpone the deadline for the commercial operation date (COD) of the 816MW Empire Wind 1 offshore wind farm.
The BP-Equinor joint venture filed a request earlier in the month which seeks a “one-time, limited waiver” of one of the requirements of an interconnection agreement with the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO).
The existing requirement is for the wind farm to start producing electricity commercially by 14 June 2025.
Empire Wind has said in the request that the COD will be achieved on or before December 2026.
The FERC request stated: “Given the expected timelines for receiving action on key permits and governmental approvals, coupled with the inherent complexities of constructing and commissioning New York State’s first large-scale offshore wind generating facility, Empire Wind currently anticipates that the Project will achieve COD on or before December 2026.
“Empire Wind should not be required to enter into an IA representing that the Project will achieve COD in June of 2025, which Empire Wind already knows to be impossible and which is inconsistent with representations that Empire Wind has made to other authorities.”
The six-month negotiation period for the Project’s IA ends on 23 December 2021.