RICHMOND, Va. (October 14, 2019) – Dominion Energy has received two key determinations from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regarding the design, fabrication and installation of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.

“This is a significant milestone as we move forward on building the first-ever fully permitted offshore wind project in federal waters,” said Mark D. Mitchell, Dominion Energy’s vice president of generation construction.” This process will provide key learnings we can apply to our commercial-scale offshore wind project.”

Dominion submitted its Facility Design Report (FDR) and Fabrication and Installation Report (FIR) in partnership with Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind development contracted for CVOW, and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, the company manufacturing the two 6-megawatt wind turbines to be installed next year 27 miles off the Virginia Beach coast. BOEM has reviewed and responded to the two filings with a no objection determination, a significant milestone for the project. 

“The FDR/FIR no objection determination is the latest milestone in a list of firsts for the burgeoning offshore wind industry in the U.S. to come through the CVOW project,” said Thomas Brostrøm, CEO of Ørsted US Offshore Wind. “As the only fully permitted project in the U.S. federal waters, CVOW continues to provide all involved parties valuable experience that will drive regulatory efficiencies and increased certainty that will reduce costs for future projects in the U.S.”

The FDR details the design of all the major components of the offshore wind project, while the FIR describes the fabrication and installation plans of the equipment. The decision from BOEM is a necessary approval to move forward with offshore construction, which is on track for the summer of 2020.

“This formal approval is a significant milestone for the Coastal Virginia project,” said Steve Dayney, U.S. Head of Offshore, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE). “We are very proud of this accomplishment which will enable us to maintain momentum in the project and may serve as a blueprint of success for others.”

L.E. Myers Company began onshore construction in June to facilitate interconnection of the two 6-megawatt wind turbines at a company substation near Camp Pendleton. At peak production, CVOW will power 3,000 homes. The turbines will not be visible from shore.

CVOW was first announced two years ago and received approval last November from the Virginia State Corporation Commission. The construction process is on a strict timetable, in order to minimize environmental impacts to the sea bottom and aquatic life. Observers will be present during the offshore construction activities to look for protected species in the area. If those species are located within an exclusion zone, work will be stopped.

Wind is part of a broader effort to deliver renewable energy, including solar, as Dominion Energy honors its commitment to reduce carbon emissions. The company recently announced the largest offshore wind project in the United States. With approval from the State Corporation Commission, it would generate more than 2,600 megawatts of energy by 2026.

About Dominion Energy
Nearly 7.5 million customers in 18 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy with about $100 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution and import/export services. The company expects to cut generating fleet carbon dioxide emissions 80 percent by 2050 and reduce methane emissions from its gas assets 50 percent by 2030. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

About Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind

Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind delivers clean, renewable energy along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. It operates the Block Island Wind Farm, America’s first offshore wind farm, and has been awarded over 2,900 megawatts of capacity through six projects. It is jointly headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island and employs more than 100 people.

About Ørsted

The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and provides energy products to its customers. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs 6,300 people. Ørsted’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2018, the group’s revenue was DKK 76.9 billion (EUR 10.3 billion). For more information on Ørsted, visit orsted.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

About Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Offshore

As of June 2019, Siemens Gamesa has over 3,300 offshore wind turbines in operation globally with a combined capacity of more than 14 GW. The company’s experiences reach back as far as 1991, when it established the world’s first offshore wind power plant. Through a strong focus on safety and innovation, SGRE constantly strives to reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy from offshore wind power.

About Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

Siemens Gamesa is a global leader in the wind power industry, with a strong presence in all facets of the business: offshore, onshore and services. The company’s advanced digital capabilities enable it to offer one of the broadest product portfolios in the sector as well as industry-leading service solutions, helping to make clean energy more affordable and reliable. With more than 95 GW installed worldwide, Siemens Gamesa manufactures, installs and maintains wind turbines, both onshore and offshore. The company’s orders backlog stands at €25.1 billion. The company is headquartered in Spain and listed on the Spanish stock exchange (trading on the Ibex-35 index).

Media contacts

Jeremy Slayton  |  Dominion Energy  |  804-771-6115  |  jeremy.l.slayton@dominionenergy.com
Lauren Burm  |  Ørsted North America  |  617-309-8730  |  laubu@orsted.com
Kaile Gurney  |  Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy  |  407-451-3656  |  kaile.gurney@siemensgamesa.com