The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has approved the Sunrise Wind offshore wind project sited off the end of Long Island, greenlighting a 924-MW project that could power 320,000 New York homes and become the state’s second offshore farm. 

BOEM’s approval March 26 comes about two weeks after the state’s — and the nation’s — first OSW project, the 130-MW South Fork Wind, began generating power. The state on Feb. 29 announced conditional contract awards to Sunrise Wind and the 810-MW Empire Wind project, which could be the next OSW projects to come online in the state. Together they would generate about one-fifth of the state’s 9-GW goal for 2035. (See First Large US Offshore Wind Farm Complete.) 

In the wake of the approval, known as a Record of Decision (ROD), Ørsted and Eversource — the two partners in Sunrise Wind — said they’ve taken a final investment decision and will move ahead. The two companies also developed South Fork Wind. 

“We are poised and ready to start constructing the transmission system to connect Sunrise Wind’s clean power to the New York electric grid,” said Joe Nolan, CEO of Eversource Energy. “We promised to put New Yorkers to work building the energy of the future, and now we’re ready to deliver on that promise.” 

The partners said in a release that the decision “precedes the anticipated approval of Sunrise Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan (COP)” in the summer. Ørsted in January agreed to acquire Eversource’s 50% ownership share in Sunrise Wind, though the company will lead the project’s onshore construction. 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is finalizing agreements with Sunrise Wind for the project’s Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificates contract. Sunrise Wind had planned to cancel its previous contract as construction costs increased, and the developer said the project had become untenable under the financing offered in the earlier contract. (See Sunrise Wind, Empire Wind Tapped for New OSW Contracts.) 

Capacity Reduction

BOEM said it reduced the size of the project, which is located 26 nautical miles east of Montauk and 14 nautical miles off Rhode Island, from 1,024 MW, shrinking the capacity by about 10% as well as cutting the number of turbines to 84, in response to stakeholder and public comments. 

The reduced project would meet the state’s capacity requirement, “would protect the environment” and would satisfy more than 10% of the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which was established to combat climate change, according to BOEM’s ROD. 

The agency’s decision includes measures aimed at “avoiding, minimizing and mitigating” effects of the construction and operation of the project, and includes “a commitment by Sunrise Wind LLC to establishing fishery mitigation funds to compensate commercial and for-hire recreational fishers for any losses directly arising from the project.” 

As part of its project, Sunrise Wind pledged to create a new operations and maintenance hub in Port Jefferson that would be a “key anchor point for New York’s offshore wind future and use facilities in the state’s capital region to fabricate “key components” for the foundations and turbines. 

BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein said the agency’s approval — the Department of the Interior’s seventh — is another step toward reaching President Biden’s goal of 30 GW of OSW capacity by 2030. 

“Through constructive, broad-based engagement, we are navigating potential conflicts and advancing the responsible growth of offshore wind. As we propel this industry forward, we eagerly anticipate further cooperation and progress with our partners,” she said in a release. 

The Sierra Club of Massachusetts welcomed the approval, saying it would bring the region “closer to a future where every home in the northeast is powered by clean energy.”