US bureau releases draft EIS for 1.1 GW offshore wind project in New Jersey

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced its readiness to release the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) of the planned Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind energy project that will be located off the coast of New Jersey, USA.

The DEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action described in Ocean Wind’s project plan for constructing and operating an offshore wind energy facility. A 45-day public consultation process is scheduled to start on June 24 with the publication of the DEIS' Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The inputs gathered via a three-day virtual meeting will be considered in the preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement.

Ocean Wind plans to construct up to 98 wind turbine generators (WTGs) and up to three offshore substations within the lease area, located 15 statute miles southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, with export cables hitting landfall in Ocean County and Cape May County, New Jersey. If all 98 WTGs are approved for installation, the anticipated capacity range will be from 1,215 to 1,440 MW, capable of powering up to 504,000 households per year.