The first five turbines at Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP)’s 806MW Vineyard Wind project have powered up.
The 13MW GE Haliade-X turbines are now providing approximately 68MW to the New England grid.
The project previously delivered first power, around 5MW, to the US in early January. Each of the five turbines have delivered power intermittently previously.
Currently, the project has successfully installed nine turbines and is in the process of installing the 10th, with preparations underway to transport the 11th turbine to the offshore project site.
Additional power will be delivered to the grid sequentially, with each turbine starting production once it completes the commissioning process.
The power from the project interconnects to the New England grid in Barnstable, transmitted by underground cables that connect to a substation further inland on Cape Cod. Once completed, the project will consist of 62 wind turbines.
“This marks a turning point in the clean energy transition. After many decades of advocacy, research, policymaking, and finally construction, America’s offshore wind industry has gone from a dream to reality,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.
“Across Massachusetts, in 30,000 homes and businesses, when you turn on the light, you will now be using clean, affordable energy. This will make the air we breathe safer and healthier, save customers money, and bring us one step closer to achieving net-zero emissions.
“I’m grateful to the Legislature for their leadership in developing our offshore wind industry, state and local officials for their efforts, and the union workers who built this industry from the ground up.”