Ørsted Tapped for Connecticut Offshore Wind Farm

Denmark based Ørsted has been selected by Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to move forward to negotiate a fixed-price power purchase agreement (PPA) with the state’s power distribution companies for 0.42TWh (terawatt hours) per year equivalent to 100MW offshore wind capacity.  

Subject to contract signing and Ørsted’s final investment decision (FID), construction on the Revolution Wind project is expected to start in 2022, and the wind farm is expected to be commissioned in 2023.

With the 100MW added capacity, Revolution Wind has now secured a total of 700MW offshore wind capacity, including previously awarded projects in Rhode Island and Connecticut, which Ørsted will build as one joint project. Ørsted will also build the adjacent 130MW South Fork project at the same time.

Martin Neubert, Executive Vice President and CEO of Ørsted Offshore, said, “We’re happy to have been selected for contract negotiations as the only offshore wind project in this zero carbon RPF. Revolution Wind will contribute to Connecticut’s transition to clean energy and add to our attractive construction pipeline in New England which now totals 830MW.”

Thomas Brostrøm, CEO of Ørsted US Offshore Wind and President of Ørsted North America, said, “Offshore wind will bring long-term economic and environmental benefits to Connecticut, attract related industry and supply chain investments to the state, and support Connecticut’s transition to renewable energy sources.”

Revolution Wind is part of the Deepwater Wind portfolio which Ørsted acquired in October 2018. Deepwater Wind proposed the 100MW Revolution Wind project prior to the company’s acquisition.

The selection follows the approval in December by Connecticut regulators of a 20-year PPA for the initial Revolution Wind project. Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority approved Ørsted’s long-term power purchase agreement with Eversource and United Illuminating, two Connecticut utilities, for 200MW of clean energy.