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BOSTON (State House News Service) — Seven weeks after the project's first electrons began to flow, five of Vineyard Wind's offshore turbines are now generating enough power for 30,000 Massachusetts homes, officials announced Thursday.
The first five turbines of the 62 planned for the project are "operating at full capacity," the Healey administration said, creating 68 megawatts of power. Gov. Maura Healey touted the milestone as a "turning point in the clean energy transition."
"After many decades of advocacy, research, policymaking, and finally construction, America's offshore wind industry has gone from a dream to reality," Healey said in a statement. "Across Massachusetts, in 30,000 homes and businesses, when you turn on the light, you will now be using clean, affordable energy. This will make the air we breathe safer and healthier, save customers money, and bring us one step closer to achieving net-zero emissions."
Project developers have said they expect the full constellation of turbines to be running at some unspecified point this year, eventually generating 806 MW of clean energy that would be enough to power more than 400,000 Bay State homes and businesses. According to the Healey administration, Vineyard Wind will also create the equivalent of 3,600 full-time jobs, save customers $1.4 billion over its first 20 years of operation, and slash carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year -- equivalent to removing 325,000 cars from roadways annually.
Vineyard Wind hit its "first power" milestone with 5 MW delivered on the night of Jan. 2, at the time making Massachusetts the second state in the nation to receive electricity from a major offshore wind installation following New York.
The project marks the Bay State's first successful foray into offshore wind, and for now, it's also the only locked-in project. Other developers backed out of contracts to build more turbines, citing changing economic circumstances that left them unable to finance the projects, and signaled intentions to pursue new bids at higher prices.
The administration wants to solicit up to 3,600 MW more offshore wind power in one go, and bids are due by March 27.
Healey's team rolled out its announcement about Vineyard Wind's power delivery Thursday with a bevy of quotes in support of the project, including from federal, state and local elected officials, project leaders, environmental groups and organized labor.
Written by Chris Lisinski/SHNS
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