Vineyard Wind Begins Offshore Cable Installation Campaign For Nation's First Commercial Scale Offshore Windfarm
LATEST MILESTONE ANOTHER FIRST FOR GROUNDBREAKING US PROJECT
(NEW BEDFORD, MA) – Vineyard Wind today announced that cable installation for the first commercial scale offshore windfarm has begun approximately 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. The company also announced that it expects to begin nearshore cable work off the south coast of Cape Cod in the coming days.
The work is being conducted by Prysmian Group, the global leader in subsea cable manufacturing and installation. Prysmian recently announced plans to build the first U.S.-based offshore wind subsea cable factory in Somerset, Massachusetts, adding to its strong North American footprint that includes 28 manufacturing facilities.
“For a project that has achieved many firsts, the beginning of offshore cable installation is perhaps the most significant we have achieved so far,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus S. Moeller. “To get to this point has required an amazing effort by the Vineyard Wind team and we are proud to work with Prysmian, a company with world class experience dedicated to creating jobs in Massachusetts. I want to thank all the local, state, and federal government agencies, which have been essential in thoroughly reviewing this project over the past five years and allowing us to reach this milestone.”
“Prysmian is proud to contribute to this important project that will accelerate the United States towards the energy transition,” stated Hakan Ozmen, EVP Projects, Prysmian Group. “Leveraging state-of-the-art technology, large production and installation assets, our cable laying operations are in line with the industry’s regulatory and environmental standards. Across our wide North American footprint, Prysmian plays a key role in the development and upgrade of power grid infrastructures to support the transition to renewable energy sources in the U.S.”
Prysmian is being supported by Foss Maritime, a US based, unionized maritime service company. The firm’s Nicole Foss will assist with both the offshore and nearshore work in the coming weeks.
"Foss is extremely pleased to be part of the Vineyard Wind export cable installation program,” said Joel Whitman, President of Foss Offshore Wind. “As a US company we are particularly proud to be involved in this milestone project for the US Offshore Wind industry.”
The fully Jones Act compliant cable installation process permits the use of both U.S. and specialized European flagged vessels that work together. Fishing vessel Fleet King, which is being provide by Sea Services, is working alongside the Cable Enterprise to ensure good communication with fishermen and other mariners in the area.
“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Vineyard Wind who has committed to using local commercial fishermen to provide safety vessels for the construction phase of the nation’s first commercial scale offshore wind farm,” said Sea Services CEO, Gordon Videll.
In the coming weeks, Vineyard Wind will also begin nearshore at Covell’s Beach in Barnstable and will also employ fishing vessels to facilitate good communication with other local fisherman.
Cable installation will take place in the fall of 2022 as well as early 2023. Mariners can sign up for updates at www.vineyardwind.com/fisheries, which can be sent out via email or text.
Vineyard Wind is committed to local supply chain and workforce and advancing the use of US flagged vessels on the project. In total, 52 US flagged vessels have or will have worked on the project by the end of this year.
Vineyard Wind, an 800-megawatt project located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the road annually.
Vineyard Wind will begin delivering clean energy to Massachusetts in 2023.
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About Vineyard Wind
Vineyard Wind is an offshore wind development company that is building the first commercial-scale offshore wind energy project in the U.S., to be located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. Vineyard Wind 1, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is 50 percent owned by funds of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and 50 percent by AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR). For more information, visit www.vineyardwind.com.
About Foss Maritime
Founded in 1889, Foss Maritime offers a complete range of maritime services and project management to customers across the Pacific Rim, Europe, South America, and around the globe. Foss has one of the largest fleets of tugs and barges on the American West Coast. The company has harbor services and transportation operations in all major U.S. West Coast ports, including the Columbia and Snake River system, Hawaii, and Alaska. Foss offers worldwide marine transportation, emphasizing safety, environmental responsibility, and high-quality service. See www.foss.com for more information.
About Prysmian Group
Prysmian Group is world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry. With almost 150 years of experience, sales of over €12 billion, about 29,000 employees in over 50 countries and 108 plants, the Group is strongly positioned in high-tech markets and offers the widest possible range of products, services, technologies and know-how. It operates in the businesses of underground and submarine cables and systems for power transmission and distribution, of special cables for applications in many different industries and of medium and low voltage cables for the construction and infrastructure sectors. For the telecommunications industry, the Group manufactures cables and accessories for voice, video and data transmission, offering a comprehensive range of optical fiber, optical and copper cables and connectivity systems. Prysmian is a public company, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange in the FTSE MIB index.
About Sea Services
Sea Services North America LLC, is a unique safety driven marine services provider for offshore asset protection, powered by a collective of experienced and knowledgeable fishermen with a deep understanding of the shared marine environment. Based in Waterford, Connecticut, Sea Services partners with vessels in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Point Judith, Rhode Island, New London, Connecticut, Montauk, New York, and is scalable into any port. Sea Services is a leader in safety, reliability, expertise and client satisfaction, providing world class services to offshore energy developers, cable layers, interconnector planners and explorers. For more information visit: http://ss-na.com/.
Contact: Andrew Doba | adoba@vineyardwind.com | 203-850-7400