US Approves Dominion Energy’s 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project

Planning & Permitting

October 31, 2023, by Adnan Memija

The US Department of the Interior (DOI) has approved the construction and operations plan (COP) for Dominion Energy’s 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.

Dominion Energy submitted COP to the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for the offshore wind farm in December 2020.

The Record of Decision (ROD) documents the decision to approve the construction of 176 and three offshore substations within the lease area.

The ROD represents the final step in the National Environmental Policy Act review process for the CVOW COP.

Dominion Energy must still receive BOEM’s final COP approval decision, which is scheduled for January 29, 2024, and other required Federal and state authorizations, according to the organization.

Last month, BOEM issued the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which analyses the potential environmental impacts of the activities outlined in CVOW’s COP.

Located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, CVOW will comprise 176 Siemens Gamesa 14 MW wind turbines with the installation scheduled to begin in 2024.

The monopiles, which were manufactured by EEW SPC, already arrived at the Port of Virginia a couple of weeks ago.

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As reported, Dominion Energy selected a consortium of DEME and Prysmian as the Balance of Plant (BoP) contractors in charge of the transportation and installation of the foundations and the substations, and the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) services for the inter-array and export cables for what will be the largest commercial offshore wind farm in the United States.

DEME Offshore’s CVOW BoP contract includes the transport and installation of 176 monopile transition piece foundations, three offshore substations, scour protection, and the supply and installation of export and inter-array submarine cable systems.

The company will oversee the complete offshore installation works for the foundations, substations, infield cables, as well as part of the export cables.

The 2.6 GW project also saw Dominion Energy investing in the only US-flagged offshore wind turbine installation vessel.

CVOW is estimated to create approximately 900 jobs, generate USD 5 million per year in local and state tax revenue and USD 143 million in economic benefits annually during construction.

Once fully operational, the offshore wind farm will be able to generate enough electricity to power over 900,000 homes.