Dominion Energy has received two federal approvals from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin constructing its 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, which aims to generate enough energy to power up to 660,000 homes by late 2026.
While BOEM authorized CVOW's Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for offshore construction, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allowed for permitted impacts to U.S. waters, including the route of the electric transmission line to connect the energy generated offshore to the electric grid onshore.
CVOW will consist of 176 turbines and three offshore substations in a nearly 113,000-acre lease area off the coast of Virginia Beach. Moreover, initial offshore construction activities related to the export cable and the monopile foundation installation is expected to begin in Q2 2024.
More than 750 Virginia-based workers, nearly 530 in the Hampton Roads region, are involved with the CVOW project or with other businesses supporting CVOW. The work includes redevelopment activities at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal, construction of the offshore wind Monitoring and Coordination Center, maritime provisioning, ship upkeep, heavy lift and rigging, cyber security, food service and hospitality.
More than 1,000 local jobs will be required to support ongoing operations and maintenance of this facility after the project begins commercial operation.
