One turbine generates 5 megawatts late Tuesday night; 4 more turbines to come online in early 2024
By COLIN YOUNG / STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
After years of fits and starts, energy generated by offshore wind was delivered onto the grid that powers Massachusetts late Tuesday night.
One turbine of the Vineyard Wind 1 project delivered approximately five megawatts of power at 11:52 p.m. Tuesday, project co-owners Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners announced Wednesday morning.
Eventually, the wind farm about 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard is expected to have 62 turbines capable of generating just more than 800 MW of power.
Project developers said the first megawatts transmitted to the grid came “as part of the initial commissioning process” and said there is “additional testing expected to happen both on and offshore in the coming weeks.”
Vineyard Wind 1 expects it will have five of its 62 turbines operating at full capacity “early in 2024.” Each turbine is capable of generating 13 MW of power.
On Tuesday, after missing its self-imposed target of delivering the first power by the end of 2023, a project spokesman clarified the timeline a top official gave last year for full commercial operations. The full 806 MW wind farm is now expected to be fully operational “in 2024” as opposed to the more specific “mid-2024” target shared in August.
Gov. Maura Healey called Wednesday’s announcement “a historic moment for the American offshore wind industry.”
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