New York Construction Report staff writer
The New York State Public Service Commission has granted Empire Offshore Wind final approval to begin construction on an 810MW offshore wind farm. The project is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs and help the state reach a goal to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035.
“Empire Wind is an example of renewable energy infrastructure that will prioritize union labor through the construction, operations, and maintenance jobs it produces,” said New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Vincent Alvarez. “We need more of these projects as New York looks to meet its ambitious goals pursuant to the CLCPA, and we look forward to the Labor community being a significant part of that equation.”
Equinor will now start the construction phase.
“The approval by the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) of the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is another important step for the development of the Empire Wind 1 project,” said Equinor president Molly Morris. “With this authorization in place, combined with other federal, state and local authorizations, critical construction can begin in Brooklyn that will help connect the 810 MW of renewable energy produced by Empire Wind 1 to the New York City grid.”
The Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) issued on Thursday authorizes construction and operation of transmission facilities that will be located within New York, including:
- two 230 kilovolt (kV) alternating current submarine transmission cables extending from the boundary of New York State waters (three nautical miles from shore) to the cable landfall in Brooklyn
- a 0.2 mile-long onshore cable route including two 230 kV alternating current transmission cables buried underground connecting to an onshore substation
- an onshore substation located at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal that will increase the voltage to 345 kV
- two 345 kV alternating current onshore transmission cables buried underground from the onshore substation to a Point of Interconnection with Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc.’s existing Gowanus 345 kV substation in Brooklyn.
“If New York is going to achieve the climate goals set out by the CLCPA, we must continue to invest in renewable energy infrastructure projects that not only advance us towards our clean energy milestones, but also create good-paying union careers for hard working New Yorkers,” said New York State Building Trades President Gary LaBarbera. “The Empire Wind project will do just that, and this final approval represents a crucial moment for the future of New York’s green economy.”
On Dec. 18, 2023, the PSC granted a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need, authorizing Empire to construct, operate, and maintain the facilities.
