AP: Massive windfarm project to be built off Virginia coast gains key federal approval
Massive windfarm project to be built off Virginia coast gains key federal approvalUpdated 3:46 PM EDT, October 31, 2023
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) A power companys plans for an enormous offshore wind farm off Virginias coast gained key federal approval Tuesday after the Biden Administration evaluated the projects potential impact on the environment.
Dominion Energy received whats called a favorable record of decision from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The agency considered efforts to minimize effects on marine life, such as endangered North Atlantic right whales, among other factors.
Dominion plans to build 176 turbines more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) off the coast from the hotels and touristy boardwalk of Virginia Beach. Dominion said its project will be the largest offshore wind farm under development in the United States.
The project is expected to generate 2.6 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power up to 660,000 homes once fully constructed, according to the utility. It added that the wind farms output should generate fuel savings of $3 billion for customers in its first decade of operation.