Avangrid, a sustainable energy company and part of the Iberdrola Group, has announced the successful installation of the offshore substation at its Vineyard Wind 1 project, the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the US, currently under construction off the coast of Massachusetts.
An offshore substation is a critical component of an offshore wind farm, designed and built to collect and export the electricity generated by the wind turbine generators. It serves as an intermediary platform between the wind turbine generators in the offshore lease area and the onshore power grid.
“Offshore wind in the US is one step closer to becoming a reality,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “Our team's dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit have made this achievement possible and, by building projects like Avangrid’s Vineyard Wind 1, we remain committed to accelerating the energy transition to create a cleaner, more sustainable future in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the U.S.”
Including its two main components, the topside and the jacket, the offshore substation weighs over 5000 t, making it the first one ever installed in the U.S. and the sixth and largest in the Iberdrola Group’s global fleet to date. So far, Iberdrola has installed five other substations at its West of Duddon Sands (UK), Wikinger (Germany), East Anglia One (UK), St. Brieuc (France), and Baltic Eagle (Germany) offshore wind farms.
Vineyard Wind 1 is expected to deliver first power before the end of this year and, once completed, the facility will generate 806 MW of clean, renewable energy to power more than 400 000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.
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