Federal regulators have scheduled sales of offshore wind leases in the mid-Atlantic for August, including one off the coast of Virginia.
The two areas, which includes another off the Maryland and Delaware coastline, are expected to generate 6.3 gigawatts of renewable energy, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Virginia’s area, also called Lease Area C-1, consists of 176,505 acres. After proposing the sale in December, the bureau reports that 17 companies have qualified to bid in the auction, including Avangrid Renewables, Dominion Energy and Shell. The two areas have the potential to power more than 2.2 million homes.
The bureau has held four offshore wind lease sales, including areas off New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas and areas in the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. The lease agreement would allow for a project using wind turbine generators and “any associated resource assessment activities, located on the Outer Continental Shelf in the leased area.”
It also includes any offshore substation platforms, inner array cables and subsea export cables. If approved, the operating lease for the Virginia site would last 33 years.
“We are taking action to jumpstart America’s offshore wind energy industry and using American innovation to deliver reliable, affordable power to homes and businesses, while also addressing the climate crisis,” U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. “As we do, we are working collaboratively with states, Tribes and stakeholders to ensure we are making smart decisions and efficient use of our nation’s offshore resources.”
In May, construction officially began on a large-scale wind turbine project off the coast of Virginia Beach. The planned 176-turbine, $9.8 billion project is expected to provide enough energy to power up to 660,000 homes once completed by the end of 2026. It was the fifth commercial offshore wind project approved by the Biden administration, and the Department of the Interior recently announced a schedule of up to 12 additional lease sales through 2028.
“We are excited to announce this sale and underscore our commitment to explore additional areas in the Central Atlantic for potential offshore wind energy development,” a statement from BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein said. “BOEM will continue to work with all ocean users to ensure offshore wind energy proceeds in an environmentally responsible manner.”
Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
