South Fork Wind just became the US’s first complete utility-scale offshore wind farm

The final turbine is up at New York’s South Fork Wind, making it the US’s first complete utility-scale offshore wind farm in federal waters.

Renews reported today that a South Fork Wind spokesperson told the news outlet, “With the last turbine having been installed at South Fork Wind, commissioning work is ongoing and we are working toward full power.”

Danish renewables giant Ørsted and Boston-based energy provider Eversource developed the 132-megawatt (MW) South Fork Wind. The project achieved its 50% installation milestone on January 18, with six out of 12 SG 11-200 DD Siemens Gamesa turbines complete and online. It reported on Twitter (X) that its final turbine set sail from State Pier in New London, CT, just over a week ago:

South Fork Wind’s first offshore wind turbine foundation was installed at the end of June 2023, and its first US-built offshore substation was completed at the end of July. It delivered its first power to the grid on December 6.

The offshore wind farm will produce enough clean energy to power 70,000 homes in Long Island, New York. It will deliver clean energy directly to the electric grid in East Hampton via a single transmission line installed in March of last year. The energy produced is being sold to the Long Island Power Authority under a 20-year agreement.

It will eliminate up to 6 million tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to taking 60,000 cars off the road annually over 25 years.