Dominion Energy has successfully completed the installation of a 12-megawatt, two-turbine offshore wind pilot about 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.
It lays the groundwork for a much bigger offshore wind project that is currently in the survey stage and could start construction by 2024.
The now-completed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project, located in waters which Dominion is leasing from the federal government, is the first wind farm approved by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
The turbines will now undergo testing before being brought online later this summer, producing enough energy to power up to 3,000 Virginia homes.
Dominion’s larger, 2,600-megawatt commercial project is the largest offshore wind project in North America announced to date. When completed, it could generate enough electricity to power up to 650,000 homes.
It will include 180, 800-foot tall wind turbines, almost 300 feet taller than the Washington Monument, although they will not be visible from shore.
The pilot project was announced three years ago, and received Virginia State Corporation Commission approval in late 2018.
Work on the demonstration project began last summer.
Dominion partnered with Denmark-based offshore wind developer Orsted for the project.
