The first monopile foundation has been installed at South Fork Wind, a 132MW wind farm off the coast of New York, US.
The wind farm is the country’s first utility-scale facility to be completed in federal waters.
The foundation’s installation will be followed by the installation of the project’s offshore substation. South Fork Wind is expected to begin operations by the end of 2023.
The offshore wind farm will generate enough renewable energy to power 70,000 homes, while eliminating six million tonnes of carbon emissions annually over a period of 25 years.
It will be powered by 12 Siemens Gamesa SG 11.0-200 DD wind turbines, each with 11MW capacity.
The final investment decision on the project was taken by developers Ørsted and Eversource in February 2022 after securing approval from the US Department of the Interior to begin construction.
Onshore cable installation and road restoration work were completed in May 2023.
Construction of the offshore substation was also completed in May by Kiewit Offshore Services, an offshore fabricator.
Ørsted Americas CEO and group executive vice-president David Hardy stated: “South Fork Wind is now one giant step closer to meeting our mission to deliver renewable offshore wind energy to Long Island’s East End. As we reach a milestone nearly a decade in the making, we are reflective of all those who have long championed this project in the East Hampton community and beyond.
“The bold leadership of the Biden-Harris and Hochul administrations is putting New York and the nation on a path to a cleaner future. Thanks to American ingenuity, South Fork Wind is jump-starting a new US jobs engine and tackling climate change head-on.”
