Deepwater Wind Energy Center Could Become Nation’s First Offshore Wind Farm (USA)

Deepwater Wind has applied to federal authorities to build the largest proposed offshore-wind farm in the United States, a 200-turbine project in Rhode Island Sound.

Energy Center, replaces a 350-megawatt, 100-turbine proposal that was put forward by the Providence-based company two years ago. Under the new plan, Deepwater would also build an undersea transmission network that would stretch from Massachusetts to New York and connect to multiple states to which the company could sell its power. The wind farm would cost an estimated $4.5 billion to $5 billion, and the transmission system an additional $500 million to $1 billion.

Deepwater submitted an application on Oct. 27 to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) to lease a 270-square-mile area between Rhode Island and Massachusetts that is the subject of a development agreement between the two states. The wind turbines would rise about 525 feet above the water but would be at least 18 miles from mainland Rhode Island, far enough out to sea that they would be barely visible from land, according to Deepwater.

(dwwind)

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Source: dwwind, August 08, 2011