User:EllaReed25

New England Wind 1 & 2
Leasing areas for offhore project, New England Wind 1 and 2
Country	United States
Location	OCS-A 0534
Status	Approved for construction
Owner	Avangrid, Inc.
Wind farm
Distance from shore	20 nmi (37 km) from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts 24 nmi (44 km) from Nantucket, Massachusetts
Rotor diameter	285 m 935 ft
Power generation
Nameplate capacity	791 MW (New England Wind 1) 1,080 MW (New England Wind 2)
External links
Website	New England Wind 1 New England Wind 2

New England Wind is a proposed offshore wind energy project developed by Avangrid. It is located approximately 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of Martha’s Vineyard and 24 nautical miles (44 km) southwest of Nantucket, Massachusetts. New England Wind’s lease areas are situated on the Outer Continental Shelf in federally leased areas managed by the Bureau of Energy Management (BOEM). Originally titled Vineyard Wind South, the project has been divided into two lease areas. New England Wind 1, formerly known as Park City Wind, will be constructed in the northern lease area OCS-A 0534. New England Wind 2, formerly known as Commonwealth Wind, will be located in the southern lease area OCS-A 0561. The project will be connected to the onshore grid via transmission cables from the wind farm to a substation at Craigville Beach in Barnstable, Massachusetts.

Despite challenges faced during the construction and operations planning process, BOEM ultimately approved the project's Construction and Operations Plan (COP) in July 2024, allowing for up to 129 turbines and multiple export cables to connect to onshore systems in Massachusetts. This project has a capacity to generate up to 2,600 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity upon completion. BOEM estimates that this output can generate as much energy annually as about 900,000 homes use in a year.

New England Wind 1 was awarded a contract by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to develop 791 MW of capacity as part of the first multi-state offshore wind procurement under the “Power Up New England” plan to boost clean energy development across the region. The Commonwealth’s Clean Energy and Climate Plan details the actions Massachusetts must take in order to meet its climate goals. New England 1 is one of many offshore wind energy sources Massachusetts seeks to use to meet its goal of procuring 5,600 MW of offshore wind by 2027. The initial phase, New England Wind 1, is expected to begin construction in 2025 and become operational by 2029. The second phase, New England Wind 2, is projected to deliver 1,080 MW of power and is currently undergoing state and regional permitting reviews in Massachusetts.

History & Background

New England Wind 1 and 2 are being planned for construction within part of a lease area that was originally procured by Vineyard Wind in 2015. The original lease area was split into two separate lease areas in 2024, with Park City Wind, LLC assigned the northern portion and Commonwealth Wind, LLC assigned the southern portion. By May 2024, the Park City Wind and Commonwealth Wind areas had been designated New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2, respectively, with the Park City project set to be the first phase to be developed before the Commonwealth project is developed during a second phase of construction.

The COP for New England Wind I and II was approved in July 2024, allowing the projects' construction easements to be granted. The project is being developed by Avangrid Renewables, LLC, an American sustainable energy company. Avangrid Renewables, LLC expects onshore construction for New England Wind 1 to begin in late 2024, and offshore construction to begin in 2025.

Location

New England Wind's proposed location is off the coast of Massachusetts, approximately 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of Martha’s Vineyard and 24 nautical miles (44 km) southwest of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The majority of the project is proposed to be located within lease OCS-A 0534. It is important to note that a small area within the neighboring lease area, OCS-A 0501, has also been identified as potential for development, however, this would require an additional lease assignment.

In June 2021, Vineyard Wind, LLC acquired Lease OCS-A 0501. 101,590 acres included in this original acquisition were transferred to Park City Wind, LLC in December 2021. Park City Wind, LLC remains in ownership of the lease area now.

Landing sites for cables from Phase 1 of the project will be in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Phase 2 of the project is also expected to make landfall in Barnstable County; however, an additional landing site in Bristol County may be incorporated. All onshore electrical cables and grid interconnection cables, as well as potentially three new or upgraded substations, will be installed in Barnstable County.

Auction Process

Vineyard Wind, LLC won Lease OCS-A 0501 on April 1, 2015 during a BOEM auction designed to give high-potential areas for offshore wind to the highest-paying responsible developers.

On April 1st, 2015, during the initial leasing stages of the project, BOEM granted Lease OCS-A 0501 to Vineyard Wind, LLC after what BOEM deemed a “competitive leasing process (30 CFR 585.211).”

Six years later, on June 28, 2021, BOEM approved 65,296 acres of a partial segment of the northernmost Lease, OCS-A 0501, from Vineyard Wind, LLC to Vineyard Wind 1, LLC. The lease assigned to Vineyard Wind 1 continues to be under Lease OCS-A 0501. Vineyard Wind, LLC obtains the residual permitted land of 101,590 acres which is part of Lease OCS-A 0534 being used for the New England Project. Currently, the lease area remains the same as originally agreed upon in April 2015, just with two distinctly separate lease areas which include independent terms and conditions for both leases.

BOEM later approved the reassignment of Lease OCS-A 0534 from Vineyard Wind, LLC to Park City Wind, LLC on December 14, 2021. Thus, granting Park City Wind, LLC the sole rights to submit the COP for the Lease OCS-A 0534. Most of the New England Wind is planned to be constructed within the Lease OCS-A 0534 area, however, if the project exceeds the boundaries of the lease and spills into Lease OCS-A 0501 additional leasing assignments would be required.

More recently, on March 19, 2024, Park City Wind, LLC applied to BOEM for a partial area of Lease OCS-A 0534 to be assigned to Commonwealth Wind, LLC. On May 15, 2024, the southern section of  OCS-A 0534, formally known as Phase 2, now named New England Wind 2 project, received a new lease number of OCA- 0561. Finally, on July 1, 2024, the COP associated with Lease OCS-A 0534 and OCS-A 0561 was approved by BOEM. Avangrid Renewables, LLC is developing both New England 1 and New England 2.

Regulatory & Permitting Processes

As part of the required project planning process, an environmental impact assessment was conducted in order to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published in the Federal Register in March 2024. The document contains evaluations of the potential environmental, social, and economic effects of constructing, operating, and decommissioning an offshore wind energy facility.

The EIS evaluates three primary alternatives. The No Action Alternative (Alternative A) would leave current conditions unchanged but would not advance offshore wind development. The Proposed Action Alternative (Alternative B) encompasses the full scope of the project, including construction, operation, and decommissioning, while allowing for flexibility through the South Coast Variant if needed. The third alternative, the Habitat Impact Minimization Alternative (Alternative C), includes sub-options aimed at reducing ecological disturbances along specific routes. Each alternative is assessed for its implications on environmental resources, stakeholder interests, and regional development.

The environmental impact assessment identified possible environmental impacts that varied across multiple categories. Air quality impacts are expected to be minor during construction but will improve overall due to reduced reliance on fossil fuels. Water quality effects are also considered minor, with negligible changes expected during operations. Benthic resources may experience temporary or permanent disruptions due to seabed disturbances caused by turbine foundations and cable installations, though some long-term benefits could emerge as marine habitats adapt. Noise from construction activities poses a risk to marine mammals, potentially affecting their behavior and health, but long-term consequences are expected to be minimal with mitigation measures in place. Birds and bats could experience moderate effects due to turbine collisions, though these are partially offset by the broader environmental benefits of reduced carbon emissions. The EIS also contains a brief section explaining that climate change could also have a significant impact on benthic ecosystems. In addition, the document identified potential impacts on historic properties and viewsheds, the local commercial fishing industry, and local tourism and recreation sectors. However, the overall assessment concludes that these impacts can be mitigated through effective management strategies.

The joint Record of Decision (ROD) by BOEM, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) used information from the EIS, stakeholder feedback, and legal and regulatory compliance to determine final regulatory approvals, environmental considerations, and permitting decisions for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the New England Wind Project. In the ROD, BOEM approves New England Wind's COP, authorizing the wind facility’s construction and operation. It also covers the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Letter of Authorization to Park City Wind LLC (now New England Wind), permitting incidental marine mammal disturbances under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

In the "Final Agency Decisions" section, the final determinations made by key federal agencies regarding the approval and permitting of New England Wind are outlined. The DOI approved the COP with modifications, allowing for up to 129 wind turbine generators (WTGs) and five electrical service platforms (ESPs). NMFS has decided to issue an Incidental Take Regulation (ITR) and Letter of Authorization (LOA) allowing incidental harassment of marine mammals during construction activities, including impact pile driving, dynamic pipe installation and more. These activities could result in harassment of species such as the North Atlantic right whale, humpback whale, and harbor porpoise. To minimize impacts, NMFS has imposed strict monitoring requirements, including the use of Protected Species Observers (PSOs), real-time passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), seasonal restrictions, and noise reduction measures such as bubble curtains and soft-start procedures. Lastly, USACE adopted the Final EIS to fulfill NEPA compliance requirements and confirmed that the project will be evaluated based on its potential impacts to public interest factors. USACE issued permits under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), ensuring compliance with federal environmental laws. The Section 10 permit ensures that offshore structures do not obstruct navigation or interfere with waterway use. The Section 404 permit ensures that discharge of dredged material and seafloor disturbance comply with federal water quality and habitat protection standards.

During the planning phase of the New England Wind projects, Avangrid Renewables, LLC also had to comply with several federal regulatory and permitting requirements:

• Avangrid Renewables, LLC began working on the COP in December 2020, with the document receiving final approval in July 2024.

• The projects began Section 106 Review under the National Historic Preservation Act in June 2021 to account for effects the project could have on historic properties and ensure that the turbines do not compromise archaeological sites on the Outer Continental Shelf. Avangrid Renewables, LLC passed Section 106 Review in March 2024.

• New England Wind began its environmental review and Environmental Impact Statement in June 2021, completing it in April 2024.

• The wind projects began their Marine Mammal Act (MMA) Incidental Take Authorization in December 2021. The projects received the authorization in July 2024.

• The projects started the process to acquire an Outer Continental Shelf Air Permit in January 2022. New England Wind received the permit in April 2024.

• Avangrid Renewables, LLC began their Essential Fish Habitat Consultation under Section 305 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in July 2022. The company completed the Consultation in October 2023.

• New England Wind started its Endangered Species Act Consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in July 2022, completing it in February 2024. Avangrid Renewables, LLC conducted their Endangered Species Act Consultation with the Department of the Interior in December 2022, completing it in September 2023.

• The developers began applying for a permit under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act in August 2022. Avangrid Renewables, LLC received the permits in July 2024.

Infrastructure Development

Construction

The proposed project is broken into two phases , New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2. Phase 1 of the project would have a total generating capacity of up to 804 MW and includes between 41 and 62 Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs), 2 Electrical Service Platforms (ESPs), and a maximum of 2 offshore export cables. Phase 2, the larger portion of the project, would deliver at least 1,232 MW of power and consist of up to 88 WTGs and 3 ESPs with a maximum of 3 offshore export cables.

In total, the proposed project encompasses the installation of up to 129 WTGs, up to 132 foundations and between 1 and 5 ESPs. The foundations will be used to support the turbines themselves and the electrical platforms will serve the purpose of transmitting the electricity on shore. The project also calls for the burial of offshore export cable the seafloor in both the Outer Continental Shelf and within Massachusetts state waters.

Grid Interconnection/Point of Interconnection (POI)

During Phase 1 of the project's construction, two cables will be installed within the Eastern Offshore Export Cable Corridor (OECC) within Muskeget channel. This site is located between Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts and Nantucket, Massachusetts. Phase 2 of the project's construction proposes that three cables be installed in various configurations in the Eastern OECC in the Muskeget channel as well. Landing sites for Phase 1 cables will be located in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The intended landing sites for Phase 2 cables would also be located in Barnstable County; however, these plans are not solidified at this time, and a landing site in Bristol County, Massachusetts is possible as well. Onshore electrical cables in addition to up to three new or upgraded substations will be installed in Barnstable County, Massachusetts as well.

Specs (Turbine Type)

While information is not currently available on exact make and model of the turbine that will be installed the rotor diameter will be 285 m and the height of the turbines will be 935 ft.

Benefits and Concerns

Community Benefits Agreement

In a press release on July, 2024, Avangrid announced that New England Wind 1 established a Host Community Agreement with the Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts regarding the cable landings in Craigville Beach. This agreement is aimed to ensure the Town of Barnstable receives economic protection and benefits from the construction of New England Wind 1. As part of a Massachusetts-Rhode Island-Connecticut Multi-State Procurement for Offshore Wind, New England Wind 1 has contributed to multiple side agreements that are intended to provide direct benefits to Barnstable including community mitigation efforts, health and safety measures, and reimbursements during construction and into operation of the wind farm. These major agreements are as follows:

• Host Community Agreement with the Town of Barnstable
• Large Generator Interconnection Agreement
• Transmission Support Agreement
• Project Labor Agreement (PLA)

Avangrid signed a Transmission Support Agreement (TSA) with Eversource for New England Wind 1 which received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. They then signed a Large Generator Interconnection Agreement (LGIA), executed with Eversource and ISO-NE, which proposes the grid upgrades and funding necessary to pursue the project while establishing the terms and conditions involved with this project. With this agreement, Avangrid has agreed to provide more than $13.7 million in fundraising for grid upgrades including converting transmission lines from 115kV to 345kV. Additionally, as a part of New England Wind Phase ll, GIS substations located in Bourne and West Barnstable will be built.

The Transmission Support Agreement (TSA) provides the Independent Systems Operator of New England (ISO-NE) the primary operating authority over commercial transmission facilities among setting out other rights and responsibilities. According to Avangrid, they have supported phase one of the grid updates including construction and energization through the Transmission Support Agreement.

In July of 2021, Vineyard wind reportedly signed the first Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for an offshore wind project in the US. This agreement aimed to create 500 union jobs. The PLA was signed between the Southeastern Massachusetts Building Trades Unions and Vineyard Wind and intndend on providing training and funding to trade workers working on the project. As of December 14, 2024, through two years of construction, Vineyard Wind 1 produced 937 union jobs which is nearly double the committed number of union jobs outlined in the PLA. (First Avangrid link in paragraph) Additionally, the New England Wind 1 project is estimated to create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job years.

New England Wind 1 has other agreements aiding in the construction and operation phases. They signed a lease agreement with Crowley to ensure the advancement of the Salem marshaling port through new construction plans and utilization methods. They have agreed to locate Operations and Management (O&M) facilities in New Bedford and Bridgeport to optimize port infrastructure and supply chain efficiency. New England Wind has executed a partnership agreement with Liftra which outlines the first crane manufacturing facility to be built in New Bedford. Moreover, they have carried out an agreement with the City of Boston to deliver 15 MW of offshore wind energy, which Avangrid noted to be a “first-of-its-kind agreement.” Finally, they agreed to supply 20 municipal electric companies in Massachusetts offshore wind energy which can be allocated throughout the state.

Claims about Economic Impacts

Claims about the economic impacts of New England Wind expect the project to have both benefits and potential drawbacks. Proponents, including government officials, and industry analysts, have highlighted anticipated economic gains. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has projected that Phase 1 of the project will generate over 1,000 full-time equivalent job-years in Connecticut, with most positions concentrated in Bridgeport. BOEM also anticipates job creation and infrastructure investment in Massachusetts, particularly in Barnstable, where transmission facilities, substations, and offshore wind cable landfall sites are planned to support regional energy integration. According to Avangrid, the developer of the New England Wind, Phase 1 of the project is estimated to generate enough electricity to power approximately 400,000 homes. The project is also projected to create over 4,400 full-time equivalent jobs and generate $3 billion in local investment. This investment includes the development of a new marshalling port in Salem, Massachusetts, and a new offshore wind manufacturing facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Additionally, a report by Synapse Energy Economics, commissioned by the Sierra Club, has estimated that the deployment of 9 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind in New England by 2030 could save ratepayers an average of $630 million annually, with potential savings reaching $1.7 billion in some scenarios. New England Wind is projected to represent a significant portion of the offshore wind expansion considered in the analysis, providing up to 2.6 GW out of the 9 GW. However, the study does not model the specific cost savings attributable to New England Wind in isolation.

Critics and analysts have raised concerns about policy uncertainty affecting the project’s financial viability. In January 2025, President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum suspending new offshore wind leasing and instructed federal agencies to pause the issuance of new or renewed approvals, rights-of-way, permits, leases, or loans for both onshore and offshore wind projects. Additionally, it mandated a review of existing wind energy leases to assess potential termination or amendment. The second phase of the New England Wind project remains in the permitting process, and the federal moratorium could lead to delays or potential cancellations. Such disruptions may contribute to increased project costs and financial uncertainty.

Stakeholder Perspectives

As part of the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act, BOEM held three virtual public meetings where the public could ask questions or comment on the proposed wind farm. In addition, BOEM allowed the public to submit comments online. During the open comment period, BOEM received 96 public submissions with various concerns and feedback.

Some comments expressed concerns, including:

• Several people were concerned that cable landings at Dowses or Craigville Beach would damage the fragile ecosystem. Many residents worried that electromagnetic fields from transmission cables could disrupt marine life and cause adverse health effects for humans in close proximity. Some residents expressed a preference for landing sites to be located at beaches that are already semi-industrial, such as Hyannis or Woods Hole, in order to divert these impacts away from more pristine beaches.
• There was concern that the substations and electric current running through them could threaten the local aquifer containing Barnstable’s water supply.
• One commenter worried that underwater cables could pose a potential danger to swimmers if they were damaged or degraded over time.
• Some comments disapproved of the slow approval process for offshore wind projects, worried that technology would adapt much faster leading to out-of-date turbines being installed.
• Some residents worried that the project was no longer economically viable under the conditions of PPAs negotiated with electric distribution companies in Connecticut (for Park City Wind) or in Massachusetts (for Commonwealth Wind).
• There was concern about how local whale populations would be impacted by the proposed turbines. This includes concerns about noise caused by pile driving during the installation of turbine foundations.

Other commenters expressed their support for the project on grounds such as:

• Some Cape Cod residents expressed their support for developing renewable energy resources to incorporate into the grid. They supported wind as a renewable energy source that would decrease reliance on fossil fuels and lower regional greenhouse gas emissions. These residents thought that ecological damage caused by climate change would outweigh the impacts of the proposed offshore wind turbines.
• Job creation was another benefit mentioned. Positive comments expressed hope that the New England Wind project would create jobs that would allow locals to be able to afford to stay and live in the region with their families.
• Some comments expressed hope that Avangrid Renewables, LLC would invest in the local community and projects important to it.

There were many comments expressing opinions both in favor and against the proposed New England Wind project. These comments were reviewed by BOEM in order to inform future agency decisions regarding the project.

Current Status & Future Outlook

Currently the project is actively undergoing construction. On January 20th, 2025 President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting federal approval for wind energy projects. The order directs the federal government to stop leasing new areas in the Outer Continental Shelf but does not bring fully permitted projects, such as New England Wind 1 and 2 to a standstill. However, the order could cause challenges in the future for this project. The executive order by Trump instructs federal officials to review the projects potential ecological, economic, and environmental impacts which could pave a way for federal agencies to reassess and revoke leases that have already been awarded.

Barring any conflicts from President Trump's executive order the project is set to begin delivering power to the residents of Massachusetts by 2029, providing an output of energy roughly equivalent to the amount of electricity used by 900,000 homes annually.