BOEM issues draft EIS for CVOW, Sunrise offshore wind projects

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Monday issued the draft Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for the Coastal Virginia and Sunrise wind projects, set to create the first two commercial-scale offshore wind farms in US waters.

The findings of the EIS will be used by the agency in the decision-making process for the two scheme’s Construction and Operation Plan (COP) and the award of the final EIS. The draft EISs will be published in the Federal Register on December 16 and will be available for a 60-day public comment period through February 14, 2023.

Proposed by US utility Dominion Energy Inc (NYSE:D), Coastal Virginia Wind (CVOW) will be located about 27 miles (43 km) off the coast of Virginia Beach and is set to become fully operational by the end of 2026. While it could provide up to 3 GW of capacity, according to BOEM’s estimates, Dominion Energy has proposed to install a 2.6-GW complex with 176 Siemens Gamesa turbines of 14.7-MW each. The developer’s plan is to initiate offshore construction in 2024.

Sunrise Wind will be built by Sunrise Wind LLC, the 50/50 joint venture (JV) between New England utility Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES) and Denmark’s Ørsted A/S (CPH:ORSTED). To be located within a lease area in federal waters 30 miles east of Montauk Point, New York, the wind farm will feature 84 Siemens Gamesa turbines totalling 924 MW, planned to go online by 2025. BOEM has estimated that the area could host up to 1,034 MW of capacity.

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