Operations & Maintenance FAQs
When will the project begin operations?
SouthCoast Wind expects to begin operations by the end of the 2020s.
Who will operate the SouthCoast Wind project?
SouthCoast Wind will continue to operate the project, using Massachusetts operations and maintenance (O&M) ports. The project has committed that at least 75% of all O&M jobs will come from the local workforce. SouthCoast Wind intends to contract certain activities to local service providers. During the warranty period SouthCoast Wind will contract with the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to perform preventative and corrective maintenance and plan repairs of main components.
During operation, the project will be supervised and monitored 24 hours per day, every day of the year, using a remote monitoring system.
What ports will the project use?
SouthCoast Wind is committed to locating port facility operations in locations that offer cost-effective returns for the project while supporting the SouthCoast region’s long-term growth and development goals.
SouthCoast Wind has signed an agreement with Borden & Remington Corp., the owner of an industrial property on the Fall River waterfront, to develop an O&M base at their site in Fall River, Massachusetts. SouthCoast Wind plans to redevelop the six- acre site to accommodate and support continuous operation efforts. All O&M staff will be based at the Fall River facility, though the majority will travel out to the offshore wind lease area regularly, either on the Fall River based service operations vessel (SOVs), on which workers live on-board for weeks at a time, or the New Bedford based crew transfer vessels (CTVs) that will shuttle back and forth on a daily basis.
What types of skills and services are needed during operations & maintenance?
A wide range of skills and services support the operations & maintenance (O&M) of an offshore wind project. This varies from turbine technicians, electricians, vessel captains, and mechanics to environmental specialists, health and safety trainers, and engineers.
What is the life expectancy of the major components of the wind turbine system?
SouthCoast Wind holds a 33-year operations lease for its offshore lease area. SouthCoast Wind has not selected its turbine technology; however, a modern wind turbine will generally last more than 20 years. The history of the onshore wind turbine market demonstrates that project lifespans are extended through the repowering process, in which key components of the wind turbine generator are updated while existing foundations and substructures remain in place. A design lifetime of 25 years is the norm for submarine electric cables, though that is also subject to environmental and other factors.