The transmission line is the first approved project in New York State to connect to an offshore wind farm. The proposed 132 MW South Fork wind farm project would provide enough clean energy to power 70,000 average homes annually. It would be located 35 miles east of Montauk Point, out of sight from Long Island beaches. The transmission line is expected to be operational by 2023.
“When people say it’s never been done before, New York shows them how to get it done, and this transmission power line – the first of its kind in the state – will showcase what the future of energy will look like,” Governor Cuomo said. “Offshore wind is a critical component of our ambitious green energy vision, and this plan holds the blueprint that will move us a step closer to making this vision a reality.”
Commission Chair John B. Howard said, “Our decision today is one that hits all the right marks. With this decision, we demonstrate the clear need for the project while avoiding or minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Further, this project will play a key role in developing much needed clean-energy on Long Island and helping New York achieve its nation-leading renewable energy goals.”
The purpose of the project is to transmit electricity generated by the proposed South Fork wind farm to the existing East Hampton substation. Together, the South Fork wind farm and the transmission project address the need identified by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) in its 2015 competitive bidding process for new sources of power generation that could cost-effectively and reliably supply the South Fork of Suffolk County.
In addition to requiring that the cable will be buried 30-feet at a minimum below the surface of Wainscott Beach – where the project is to make landfall — other conditions will limit construction periods to off-peak seasons to ensure construction-related impacts are minimized.
