Vineyard Wind 1 Wins BOEM Approval for First U.S. Commercial Offshore Wind Farm
On May 12, 2021, Vineyard Wind announced that Vineyard Wind 1 wins BOEM approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). This decision represents the final major step in the federal review process and, as a result, it clears the way for the first U.S. commercial‑scale offshore wind farm.
Vineyard Wind CEO Lars T. Pedersen said the Record of Decision does more than launch a single project. Instead, it helps start a new offshore wind industry in the United States and finally turns years of planning into jobs, economic benefits and clean energy.
Project Overview: 800 MW of Clean Power off Massachusetts
Vineyard Wind 1 is an 800 MW offshore wind project located about 15 miles off Martha’s Vineyard. The project will deliver enough power for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts, and it will also cut carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tons per year.
The project uses the GE Haliade‑X turbine, which delivers 13 MW per unit. Because each turbine is so powerful, Vineyard Wind cut the layout from 108 turbines to 62 and still keeps the full 800 MW capacity for Massachusetts customers. In addition, the design places turbines one nautical mile apart in a grid that the U.S. Coast Guard supports for safer navigation, fishing and transit.
Vineyard Wind plans to reach financial close in the second half of 2021. After that, the project aims to begin delivering clean energy to Massachusetts in 2023.
Southwire’s Role: High-Voltage Cables from North Carolina
Vineyard Wind chose Southwire as a key supplier for the project’s onshore high‑voltage cables. Southwire will manufacture more than 32 miles of high‑voltage cable at its Huntersville, North Carolina facility, using its specialized underground transmission technology.
Southwire’s high‑voltage field services team will work with local labor to install the cables. Together, they plan to complete the onshore work by the first quarter of 2023, so the grid can receive power as the offshore wind farm comes online.
Vineyard Wind Ownership and Long Public Review
Vineyard Wind LLC operates as a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc., and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). Since 2017, they have guided Vineyard Wind 1 through a long public and regulatory review.
The project drew more than 30,000 public comments, and more than 90% supported Vineyard Wind 1. In addition, BOEM and over two dozen federal, state and local agencies reviewed the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for more than three and a half years before they issued final approval.
Strong Support from Leaders and Suppliers
Federal, state and local leaders welcomed the BOEM decision, and key suppliers also praised the news. Supporters include Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, U.S. Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Congressman Bill Keating, Massachusetts Senate President Karen E. Spilka, Speaker of the House Ronald J. Mariano, State Representative Patricia Haddad, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and Frank Callahan of the Massachusetts Building Trades.
They see Vineyard Wind 1 as a model for future offshore wind projects. In their view, it will deliver clean energy, create union jobs and help position Massachusetts—and the U.S. overall—as a leader in the global offshore wind industry.
