WEST OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — A Danish energy company has moved forward with plans to build a $20 million operations and maintenance facility in West Ocean City.
The construction will create up to 110 temporary and permanent jobs in the eastern Maryland region, Orsted said in a news release. The company, which builds and operates renewable energy projects, said it plans to make Ocean City a strategic location for the offshore wind industry.
The facility will include a warehouse and act as the strategic embarking point for three crew transfer vessels that will service Skipjack Wind 1, Orsted’s offshore wind energy project that’s under development.
The 120-megawatt project will power 40,000 homes in the region, generate $225 million in economic investment in Maryland, and create nearly 1,400 jobs statewide, according to the company.
The new jobs will include turbine maintenance technicians, engineers, and operations personnel. Orsted is still working on the design of the facility and plans to share the construction timeline with the community in the coming weeks, according to The News Journal.
“We are excited to fulfill another commitment made to Maryland and look forward to working with Ocean City residents, including its local fishing community, to make this a project that benefits all,” said David Hardy, CEO of Orsted Offshore North America.
Orsted said it plans to use zero-emission vessels at the facility, as part of its plan to move eventually to zero emissions entirely.
Mike Dunn, CEO of the Greater Salisbury Committee, a nonprofit organization that works with the community to make it more sustainable, said the organization fully supports the construction project.
“Orsted’s investment is great news for the Lower Shore workforce and a great example of why the Greater Salisbury Committee has supported offshore wind for six years,” Dunn told The News Journal. “Offshore wind is creating a tremendous job pipeline for Lower Shore workers and small businesses. Diversifying our workforce with good paying jobs that service Skipjack Wind is huge.”
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