US launches review of EDF-Shell's new multi-gigawatt Atlantic Shores North wind
Joint venture owns three leases with over 7GW of potential capacity to meet burgeoning demand from American leaders New Jersey and New York
US offshore energy regulator Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) kickstarted the environmental review of a further almost 2.5GW of potential capacity under development by the Atlantic Shores joint venture (JV) of Shell and EDF.
BOEM issued a notice of intent (NOI) to begin the environmental impact statement (EIS) of Atlantic Shores North array proposed for the lease area adjacent to the JV’s ongoing 1.5GW namesake project to New Jersey.
“BOEM is continuing to implement the Biden-Harris administration’s clean energy agenda, while maintaining a careful approach to prevent, reduce, and address any adverse effects on ocean users and the marine ecosystem,” said BOEM director Elizabeth Klein.
“As an integral part of our environmental assessments, we will continue to actively solicit feedback from Tribes; federal, state, and local government partners; the fishing community; and the public to help guide our actions.”
This is the developer’s second construction and operations plan (COP) to be advanced at the federal level.
Three-lease pipeline
The company owns three leases in the New York/New Jersey region with a total capacity exceeding 7GW.
The company’s Atlantic Shores North and South leases were originally acquired as a single area by US Wind in 2015, then split and sold to French utility EDF in 2018 for $215m.
The Atlantic Shores ongoing project was awarded in New Jersey’s second round in 2021, along with Orsted’s 1.15GW Ocean Wind 2.
Atlantic Shores South with a total project envelope of up to 3GW was issued its draft EIS by BOEM in May 2023. The developer bid the remaining capacity available in the project envelope into New Jersey's round 3 but failed to win a contract.
Demand for capacity in the region will likely remain high as both New Jersey and New York are ramping their offshore wind procurement.
Atlantic Shores North COP includes the potential to deliver to either state, with routes along existing designated export cable corridors (ECC) through federal and state waters to New Jersey’s Monmouth Landfall landing site, the same as its contracted project in the South lease, as well as various sites in Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York City.