In a significant milestone, Ørsted has announced the successful installation of the first turbine at the South Fork Wind Farm offshore New York. The offshore construction team utilized Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel, the Aeolus, to hoist the initial Siemens Gamesa wind turbine generator into position at the project site located 35 miles off Montauk, N.Y.

The turbine installation involved the crane-assisted placement of the steel turbine tower onto the foundation. Subsequently, the nacelle and rotor were installed atop the tower, followed by the lifting and installation of the blades, bolting them to the rotor.

South Fork Wind, approved by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Board of Trustees in 2017, commenced construction in February 2022. The project achieved the "steel in the water" milestone in June 2023 with the installation of the first monopile foundation. The onshore export cable system, linking the project to the local energy grid, was completed earlier this year.

Expected to be fully operational by the end of 2023 or early 2024, the South Fork Wind Farm comprises 12 turbines with a total capacity of 130 megawatts. It stands as the first completed utility-scale wind farm in the United States in federal waters, supplying power to Long Island’s electrical grid.

Ørsted Group EVP and CEO, Americas, David Hardy, expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of the dedicated team, suppliers, contractors, and the support received from various entities, emphasizing the project's trailblazing nature.

Eversource Energy President, CEO, and Chairman, Joe Nolan, highlighted the historic significance of South Fork Wind in delivering clean, renewable energy to New York and positioning East Hampton at the forefront of regional efforts for a modernized and reliable grid.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul commended the installation, underscoring the state's commitment to shaping a brighter, greener tomorrow with a focus on innovation and sustainability.

Once operational, South Fork Wind will be supported by U.S.-built crew transfer vessels (CTV) and, eventually, by America’s first offshore wind service operations vessel (SOV), Edison Chouest Offshore’s ECO Edison.