Project Description

SouthCoast Wind is developing an offshore lease area with the potential to generate over 2,400 megawatts (MW) of clean renewable electricity, or about enough to power over a million homes.

The lease area is located over 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 miles south of Nantucket.

The project will occupy the full 199-square mile (over 127,000 acre) lease area, which was awarded through a competitive auction by the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

To move energy from the lease area into the regional transmission grid, SouthCoast Wind must go through the ISO New England interconnection process which has a planning requirement that effectively limits the capacity of a single transmission circuit to no more than 1,200 MW. As a result, developing the full lease area will require two transmission interconnection circuits, developed in two separate phases.

For the first phase, SouthCoast Wind intends to interconnect 1,200 MW to the regional grid system at Brayton Point in Somerset, Massachusetts.

SouthCoast Wind is also looking at Brayton Point for interconnection of the second 1,200 MW of electricity generated in the lease area. Falmouth, MA continues to remain an option for this second phase while grid capacity and timing of necessary upgrades are determined.

Electricity customers of distribution companies from across New England will benefit from SouthCoast Wind’s clean energy resource as the power will contribute to the decarbonatization of the electrical grid.

SouthCoast Wind continues to focus on conducting baseline surveys, stakeholder outreach, and other activities that advance the design, engineering, and permitting of the project. The project will require local, regional, state, and federal permits and approvals for relevant onshore, nearshore, and offshore work.

These efforts have been, and will continue to be, pursued with input from local communities to ensure a safe, reliable, and responsible project that meets the expectations of local ratepayers and makes the Southern New England region a hub for offshore wind.