First turbine installed at Massachusetts offshore wind farm

Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) have proudly announced the successful installation of the inaugural GE Haliade-X Wind Turbine Generator (First turbine installed at Massachusetts) (WTG) for the Vineyard Wind 1 project.

This First turbine installed at Massachusetts comprises a single tower, three blades, and a nacelle, and it ranks as the largest turbine in the Western world. With a nameplate capacity of 13 MW, it has the capability to provide electricity to more than 6,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.

Pedro Azagra, CEO of Avangrid, expressed, “This is a significant accomplishment and a moment of pride for the U.S. offshore wind sector, affirming the industry’s reality and underscoring Avangrid’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Northeast region in achieving its clean energy and climate objectives. While this marks a milestone for both this pioneering project and the industry at large, our focus remains on the critical tasks ahead, ensuring the successful installation of these massive turbines and the delivery of power to Massachusetts homes and businesses later this year.”

The Vineyard Wind 1 project is slated to encompass 62 wind turbines with a combined capacity of 806 MW, sufficient to power over 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.

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The offshore construction for Vineyard Wind began in late 2022, marking the placement of steel in the water in June. In July, the project achieved another landmark by completing the nation’s first offshore substation. Construction operations are managed through the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. In a noteworthy move, Vineyard Wind inked the first Project Labor Agreement for a U.S. offshore wind project in July 2021, outlining the creation of 500 union jobs throughout the project.

Lately, the offshore wind industry has been grappling with a series of uncertainties, marked by several expiring power purchase agreements (PPAs) and instances of developers and utilities withdrawing from projects.

Rhode Island Energy, for instance, recently opted to terminate its PPA with Ørsted and Eversource for the Revolution Wind 2 offshore project. The decision was primarily driven by rising interest rates, escalating costs, and uncertainties surrounding federal tax credits, collectively rendering the project financially unviable.

In a parallel development, Avangrid reached an agreement in July to pay $48 million to exit a PPA involving Eversource Energy, National Grid, and Unitil for the Commonwealth Wind project, a 1,223 MW offshore wind venture located 20 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. These occurrences reflect the dynamic and evolving landscape within the offshore wind sector.