July 5, 2023 — The Biden administration on Wednesday approved Orsted A/S’s Ocean Wind 1 project, setting the stage for installation of as many as 98 turbines in waters off New Jersey over the opposition of some local residents.
The approval represents the third commercial-scale project of its kind in federal waters to win the US government’s backing — all under President Joe Biden — and another step toward his goal of installing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by the end of the decade.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland called the authorization “another milestone in our efforts to create good-paying union jobs while combating climate change and powering our nation.”
Under the Interior Department’s approval, as many as 98 turbines and three offshore substations could be installed about 13 nautical miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Atlantic City, with power cables coming ashore in Ocean County and Cape May County. According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the project is estimated to have a generating capacity of 1.1 gigawatts, capable of powering more than 380,000 homes.