The New York State Public Service Commission has approved a transmission line from the Sunrise Wind Farm.
The 25-mile offshore/onshore transmission line will carry electricity from the proposed 924MW wind farm off the coast of Long Island to an existing substation in Brookhaven, Suffolk County.
The approved transmission project includes a high-voltage, 320kV, DC submarine export cable bundle up to 5.2 miles long that will enter New York State territorial waters three nautical miles from land.
The transmission line will then transition from an offshore cable to an onshore cable that will travel up to 17.2 miles to an onshore converter station.
The project is being developed as a partnership between Orsted and Eversource, with support from Con Edison Transmission and the New York Power Authority, who will assist the development of the transmission facilities needed to deliver the offshore wind energy to the electric transmission grid.
The transmission line will be built by Sunrise Wind, LLC.
Additionally, Sunrise Wind is entering negotiations with New York State contractors and trade labour organisations on a project labour agreement to cover construction activities for the project, and committing to paying prevailing wages.
The developers expect the offshore wind farm will be fully operational by 2025.
“New York is taking bold action to address the climate crisis, and projects like Sunrise Wind demonstrate our leadership on clean energy,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. “As we work to advance our nation-leading climate goals and create the jobs of the future, offshore wind projects will be critical to deliver clean energy to all New Yorkers.”
New York State Public Service Commission Chair Rory Christian added: “Our decision today protects the public interest and ensures any potential significant negative impacts of the transmission project are avoided or minimised.”