'Summer of shovels' | Equinor breaks ground at US' largest privately-led offshore wind port in NYC
New York City mayor Adams and Nyserda head Harris join ceremony at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to launch marshalling and O&M site
Developer Equinor broke ground on construction of what will be the US' largest privately led offshore wind marshalling and operations and maintenance (O&M) hub at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) today (Monday).
Equinor head of US renewables Molly Morris was joined by Congressman Dan Goldman, as well as New York City mayor Eric Adams and Doreen Harris, head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (Nyserda) in launching the 73-acre (29.5 ha) site.
When completed in 2026, SBMT will initially serve as marshalling and O&M hub for the 810MW Empire Wind 1 project re-awarded in the state’s round 4 tender.
“Today’s groundbreaking at SBMT is a defining moment for Empire Wind 1 and for the long-term renewable energy ambitions of New York State and beyond,” said Morris.
“This construction will result in union jobs and local economic benefits while supporting a project that will deliver homegrown power to New Yorkers and position the state as a leader in the advancing offshore wind industry,” she added.
Infrastructure developer Skanska has been awarded a $861m for redevelopment of the onshore dimensions of the terminal, including demolition of existing buildings, improvements to support the staging of the wind turbine components, installation of underground utilities, and two new heavy-lift crane pads.
More contracts are expected to be awarded as the project progresses.
Empire Wind 1 recently signed its purchase and sales agreement (PSA) with Nyserda, finalising the offtake contract for what had been a troubled array that faced cancellation after its original offtake contract awarded in 2019 was considered no longer viable amid inflationary headwinds.
“This is the summer of shovels,” said Nyserda’s Harris said at the groundbreaking.
“New York State is all in for offshore wind and we are going to weather these storms and come out ahead because of the extraordinary value that we know it will bring and can and is bringing to our state and specifically here to Brooklyn”