Dominion Energy has received approval from the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for its proposed 2.6GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, to be located 23.5 nautical miles offshore Virginia Beach in the state of Virginia.

The Record of Decision from the BOEM allows the company to initiate construction on the project, which is set to be the largest offshore wind farm in the US.

Onshore construction work on CVOW is due to begin towards the end of 2023 and be fully complete in late 2026.

The project is expected to create 900 jobs annually during the construction phase and 1,100 jobs each year once operational.

It will generate enough clean energy to meet the needs of 660,000 homes in the region.

Dominion Energy chair, president and CEO Bob Blue stated: "Receiving a favourable Record of Decision from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is a monumental achievement for Dominion Energy and the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind team. More than a decade of work has gone into the development, design and permitting of CVOW.

"Offshore wind is a vital part of our strategy to provide our customers with a diverse fuel mix that delivers reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy."

The CVOW project is expected to contribute to the US administration’s aim to install 30GW of offshore wind energy capacity by the end of the 2020s.

White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi stated: “The Biden-Harris administration just greenlit construction of the nation’s fifth massive-scale offshore wind project, growing a new American industry, lowering energy costs, creating good-paying jobs and tackling the climate crisis.

“More progress and economic opportunity are on the horizon as we put to use every tool available to bring offshore wind benefits to American workers and communities nationwide.”