New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, and other elected officials on March 14 announced the completion of the South Fork Wind project, with all 12 offshore wind turbines constructed and the wind farm successfully delivering power to Long Island and the Rockaways.
“Today marks a historic milestone as New York becomes home to America’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm,” Hochul’s office said.
All 12 of South Fork Wind’s turbines are installed and the wind farm is delivering power to the local Long Island electric grid, with commissioning in its final stage.
At full capacity, the approximately 130-megawatt wind farm will generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 70,000 homes. The renewable energy is generated roughly 35 miles off the coast of Montauk.
First approved by the Long Island Power Authority Board of Trustees in 2017, South Fork Wind began construction in February 2022, beginning with the onshore export cable system that links the project to the Long Island electric grid.
The wind farm reached its “steel in the water” milestone in June 2023 with the installation of the project’s first monopile foundation, and its final turbine was installed in February.
South Fork Wind’s successful completion supports progress toward New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requirements to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and install nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035. This milestone follows Governor Hochul’s recent announcement of two offshore wind project awards, Empire Wind I and Sunrise Wind, for over 1,730 megawatts and $2 billion in near-term economic development investments.
“The completion of South Fork Wind marks a historic achievement for the State of New York and for our nation,” said Long Island Power Authority CEO Thomas Falcone said. “Under Governor Hochul's leadership, LIPA is proud to be a partner in this landmark project, and we will continue to pursue our collective vision for a sustainable and resilient energy future that creates jobs, builds our economy, and protects our environment.”
