November 12, 2020
New York

Power cable from massive offshore wind farm to make landfall at Smith Point Park

By Mark Harrington | Newsday | November 11, 2020 | www.newsday.com

Developers of a huge offshore wind farm are proposing to bring the power to Long Island via a cable that comes ashore at Smith Point Park and wends its way to Holtsville, according to a copy of the plan expected to be presented Monday.

Danish wind-energy giant Orsted and its partner Eversource will hold a virtual open house Monday to present the cable plan and other components of the project known as Sunrise Wind. New York State awarded Orsted the contract to develop the wind farm in 2019 after a competitive bidding process. The 880-megawatt project, slated for completion in 2024, promises enough new energy to power more than 500,000 homes – nearly half of LIPA’s 1.1 million customer base.

The project still requires state and federal approvals, as well as that of Brookhaven Town, which last year welcomed it.

Two high-voltage cables that make up the transmission line would come ashore (after a 50-mile undersea run from the wind farm, to be built in waters off Massachusetts and Rhode Island) at Smith Point County Park. From there it would traverse a route through the Smith Point Marina, head north along the William Floyd Parkway to Montauk Highway, then follow routes through Yaphank Avenue, Horseblock Road, and Manor Road to the Long Island Expressway. From there it will continue west to a LIPA substation at Union Avenue in Holtsville.

Orsted is expected to provide a monetary “community benefits package” to the town to cover zoning and other permits and the inconvenience of its using local rights of way over the construction period and 20-year-plus contract. The company, which is also developing another offshore wind farm known as South Fork Wind for LIPA, has met stiff resistance from some residents in Wainscott where the cable from that project is slated to make land at Beach Lane. The developer recently announced a $29 million benefits package for the Town of East Hampton and the village trustees. It awaits town and other approvals.

Brookhaven Town officials weren’t immediately available for comment, but there are indications that the town not only supports the cable route, but helped propose it. In a Newsday story last year, Brookhaven Town supervisor Edward P. Romaine first floated the idea of the cable route, and an Eversource executive welcomed it.

Romaine at the time said Brookhaven didn’t have the same qualms with land routes for the cable that communities on the East End did over the South Fork wind farm’s cables.

The Sunrise Wind virtual open house will take place on Monday at 6:30. Residents, ratepayers and public officials are welcome, said spokeswoman Meaghan Wims. The briefing will include details on the cable plan and time for questions and answers, she said. To register, visit sunrisewindnyvirtual.com.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/11/12/power-cable-from-massive-offshore-wind-farm-to-make-landfall-at-smith-point-park/