FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 25, 2023
Contact: Press@vineyardwind.com
(NEW BEDFORD, MA) – Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), today received the first shipment of turbine components for GE’s Haliade-X 13-megawatt (MW) turbine at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. The tower sections – the base of the turbine that’s placed on top of the yellow transition piece – will be constructed at the terminal before being shipped out and installed later this summer.
“After a long road, the first day of component arrival is finally here,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus S. Moeller. “This is great milestone for New Bedford, Vineyard Wind and the country. We’ve been working together with Mayor Mitchell for years to achieve this and are now finally seeing the result. I am proud to introduce this technology to the US and to see the many jobs that this industry will create in action on the site to today. This is only the first – much more is coming. And the vision of New Bedford at the epicenter of the offshore wind industry is coming to life today.”
Towers will arrive in three sections and once onshore will be staged at the terminal before being partially assembled by union labor and loaded onto a specialized barge. In all, approximately 100 union trades people will work on the site during the peak construction period.
“Congratulations to Vineyard Wind, as well as the workers, local officials, businesses, and advocates who made this important milestone possible,” said Governor Maura Healey. “The Vineyard Wind 1 project is an integral part of our efforts to make Massachusetts a global leader in offshore wind. Our administration looks forward to continuing to support this project and bringing clean, affordable energy to Massachusetts.”
“The arrival of turbine components for the Vineyard Wind project represents the clearest manifestation yet of what we’ve been working on for more than a decade, namely, to position New Bedford as the leading offshore wind port on the East Coast. With our partners at Vineyard Wind, we are excited to launch this new industry for the benefit of the City and our nation,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell.
“CIP is proud to play a leading role on the Vineyard Wind 1 project,” said Tim Evans, Partner and Head of North America for CIP. “Our extensive industry experience allows us to deliver on our promises, as evidenced today by the arrival of these components. We look forward to many more milestones for Vineyard Wind in the coming months, and to developing future projects in Massachusetts and around the US in the years to come.”
“The arrival of the first turbine components for Vineyard Wind 1 marks a significant milestone for the construction of this first-in-the-nation project,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “The U.S. clean energy transformation is accelerating, and well represented by the City of New Bedford, where local, union workers will build this historic project, deliver clean energy to 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts, and pioneer a new American offshore wind industry.”
"We are pleased to work closely with our customer, Vineyard Wind, to bring this historic project on line,” said GE Vernova Offshore Wind CEO Jan Kjaersgaard. “Our teams at GE Vernova are proud to support the effort to bring more clean, renewable energy online in Massachusetts, across the US, and globally."
Vineyard Wind recently submitted its first annual report to the state compiled by UMass Dartmouth and Springline Research Group that found that Vineyard Wind is jumpstarting the offshore wind economy in Massachusetts.
“Offshore wind is a key component of our clean energy future, and I’m thrilled to see the progress that Vineyard Wind is making in bringing this game-changing technology to the Commonwealth,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka.
“This milestone from Vineyard Wind represents the potential that Massachusetts has to serve as a major player in the offshore wind industry, which will help the Commonwealth achieve its emissions reduction targets, all while creating new job opportunities for Massachusetts residents in the process,” said House Speaker Ronald. J Mariano. “The need for clean energy production is why the House made historic investments in offshore wind last session, and it's why the House is committed to pursuing ways to provide further support for offshore wind development.”
“The arrival of these turbine components is a huge step toward our clean energy future,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Clean, affordable energy is coming to Massachusetts residents and businesses. I’m grateful to the many hands that helped us get to this point — the workers and leaders on the South Coast, the companies that invested in our state, advocates who have championed offshore wind for decades, our partners in government, and our nation-leading Legislature.”
“The arrival of the first turbine components at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal marks a significant milestone for Massachusetts' leadership in clean energy and solidifies our position as a frontrunner in offshore wind,” said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Jennifer Daloisio. “We commend Vineyard Wind for their pioneering spirit, and we are fortunate to have their support. This achievement is a testament to the long-term vision of policymakers, the community, and industry partners, shaping a sustainable future for generations to come.”
"As the first utility-scale offshore wind project in the United States, the Vineyard Wind project will provide clean energy careers that stand the test of time, support families, and unlock new opportunities for thousands of workers across the Commonwealth,” said Frank Callahan, President of the Massachusetts Building Trades Unions. "This project ensures that Massachusetts will be at the forefront of clean energy and union labor will be at the forefront of green jobs.”
“In the face of challenges to the supply chain worldwide, the arrival of the towers in Massachusetts is a tangible sign of progress in the greening of New England’s grid,” said Senator Mike Barrett, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy. “You can’t help but feel encouraged.”
“The delivery of these turbine components is a historic moment for the development of offshore wind across the United States and New Bedford as the emerging epicenter of this new, job-generating industry,” said Senator Mark Montigny, who has been a strong supporter of Senate initiatives to expand sustainable energy programs. “The legislative authorizations that made these projects possible were built upon the promise of significant job creation, lower energy costs, and a cleaner environment. The Commonwealth provided significant capital investments to create the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, and we are pleased to see this facility put to full use starting with Vineyard Wind so that the promises of offshore wind can finally start to be realized.”
“This is a wonderful moment for New Bedford and for Massachusetts as the arrival of this equipment today is physical proof that the nation’s first large-scale commercial wind farm is no longer a dream, but a very tangible – and quite frankly, huge – reality,” said Rep. Antonio F. D. Cabral. “The busiest port in the country is about to get much busier. I want to acknowledge the years of the collaboration between the state, the City of New Bedford, and Vineyard Wind which led to this moment. Crafting a new industry is never easy, but we are the test case, and I am proud of the progress that we have spearheaded here.”
“With the support of the Commonwealth and Vineyard Wind, New Bedford is once again prepared to be a city that lights the world,” said Rep. Jeffrey Roy, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “Today’s success will be only the first in a generation of turbine installations to bring clean power, energy security, thousands of quality jobs, and billions in economic benefits to our shores. And that’s why we are excited to see such progress and the arrival of the ships today."
“The possibilities that offshore wind will provide our region, Commonwealth, and country will be invaluable as we continue to push for a greener future,” said Representative Christopher Markey. “The arrival of these towers is a major step on the path to sustainable energy that will bring new economic development and opportunities to our community.”
An 800-megawatt project located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the road annually. The project will begin delivering clean energy to Massachusetts in 2023.
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About Vineyard Wind
Vineyard Wind LLC is an offshore wind development company that is building the first commercial-scale offshore wind energy project in the U.S., to be located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. Vineyard Wind 1, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is 50 percent owned by funds of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and 50 percent by Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR). For more information, visit www.vineyardwind.com.
