Dominion Energy has announced that it has received the final federal approvals necessary to begin construction on its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has provided its final approval of CVOW's Construction and Operations Plan (COP), while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a permit to allow for permitted impacts to U.S. waters.
"We are thrilled to see the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project receive two major approvals that will place the nation's largest offshore wind farm right off the coast of Virginia," said Senator Mark Warner, Senator Tim Kaine, and Representative Bobby Scott in a joint statement. "The progress on this project to date speaks volumes about the level of cooperation between the Biden administration, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Dominion Energy, and their commitment to the future of green energy in the Commonwealth."
CVOW, once fully constructed in late 2026, will be the largest offshore wind farm in the United States and will have a capacity of 2.6 gigawatts, generating enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes. The project will consist of 176 turbines and three offshore substations in a lease area off the coast of Virginia Beach. Construction activities have already begun onshore, and with the final approvals in place, offshore construction is set to begin in the second quarter of this year.
The economic benefits of the project are significant, with more than 750 Virginia-based workers already engaged in the CVOW project or in businesses supporting it. This number is expected to increase to over 1,000 once the project begins commercial operation. The project has also created jobs in various sectors, including redevelopment activities, maritime provisioning, ship upkeep, cyber security, and food service.
Dominion Energy's CEO, Bob Blue, highlighted the importance of these approvals in keeping the project on schedule and on budget. "These regulatory approvals keep CVOW on time and on budget as we focus on our mission of providing customers with reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy," said Blue.
Dominion Energy is committed to providing reliable, affordable, and clean energy. The company serves about 7 million customers in 15 states and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Dominion Energy aims to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050.
With the final federal approvals in place, Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is well on its way to successful completion. The project represents a major milestone in the development of offshore wind in the United States and will contribute significantly to the generation of clean, renewable energy.