FORKED RIVER – Ørsted is bringing the first offshore wind power project in NJ to the site of the former Oyster Creek Generating Station with Ocean Wind, LLC.
Ocean Wind LLC, owned by Ørsted, secured approval from the NJ Board of Public Utilities (BPU) in June to construct a 1,100-megawatt, $1.6 billion offshore wind facility approximately 15 miles from the Atlantic City coast.
According to a report by NJ Spotlight, the state recently approved Ocean Wind LLC’s purchase of capacity interconnection rights to bring the power from the wind farm to the site of the former Oyster Creek nuclear power station in Lacey.
“We are finally making progress in getting offshore wind in New Jersey a reality. Oyster Creek is a very good location for Ørsted to build an offshore wind farm. There are sub stations and power lines already in place to connect to…It is important that the former nuclear station will be replaced reliable and cost- effective energy that will reduce greenhouse gases and help the state move forward on renewable energy,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.
This is the first offshore-wind project, expected to be online in 2024, approved by the state, although it intends to hold further solicitations next year and 2022 to help achieve Gov. Phil Murphy’s goal of 3,500 megawatts of offshore-wind capacity by 2030.
Advocates for the wind farm add that it will cr4ate more jobs, help reduce CO2 emissions, as well as prevent unnecessary dirty fossil fuel plants and pipelines from being built.
Tittel cited a recent E2 report that found that building one average offshore wind farm that produces 352MW, can create 4,313 jobs, $278.9 million in wages, and $702 million to a state’s economy.
“New Jersey can be the first offshore wind hub in the nation, but we have to move quicker,” said Tittel.
