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| Platforms for Deepwater Wind’s Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) pass by Fort Wetherill at East Passage, Jamestown in September 2015. (Photo Tracey C. O’Neill) |
Text and photo by Tracey C. O’Neill
PROVIDENCE – The first
components of Deepwater Wind’s offshore wind turbines arrived at the Port of
Providence on Wednesday.
Deepwater Wind (DWW)
CEO Jeff Grybowski tweeted the arrival of the firsts -first wind turbine
components to arrive- for the first offshore wind farm in the country:
Arrived! #providence welcomes 1st components for @DeepwaterWind turbine from @generalelectric for #blockisland pic.twitter.com/jaAgffNgP9— Jeff Grybowski (@JGrybowski) November 18, 2015
According to a company
press release, five 95-foot tall bottom tower sections landed for off-loading
to a new temporary manufacturing facility that General Electric and Deepwater
Wind established at the port.
“This work at ProvPort
brings one of the world’s most innovative companies to the City of Providence.
And, just as important, we’re putting more Rhode Islanders to work and giving
them the experience they need to help grow this industry.”
GE replaces Alstom as
the Block Island Wind Project turbine supplier providing the 6-megawatt Haliade
150 offshore wind turbines. A global energy provider headquartered in France,
Alstom’s energy division was acquired by GE on November 2 under an acquisition
billed as the biggest industrial investment GE has ever made.
“This is a major
milestone for the Block Island project and for sustainable energy in the U.S.
We are proud to be part of the team making it happen,” said Anders Soe-Jensen,
President and CEO of GE’s offshore wind unit.
The installation of
electrical, mechanical and safety equipment in the bottom tower sections is
expected to occur over the next six months with the remaining sections arriving
next year.
According to the
release, approximately 60 local workers and multiple local contractors are
slated for the turbine build process. Aladdin Electric, Bay Crane New England,
Essex Newbury, E.W. Audet & Sons, Aero Mechanical Inc., Waterson Terminal
Services, GZA GeoEnvironmental, VHB, and Fuss & O’Neill were named as
contractors.
Union workers will be
involved and employed by the project with more than 300 local workers involved
overall.
“The tradesmen and woman of the RIBCTC
are excited to start the manufacturing and assembly phase of the Deepwater Wind
project, creating desperately needed work opportunities for our members
right here in ProvPort,” said Michael F. Sabitoni, President of the Rhode
Island Building and Construction Trades Council.
“The opportunity to
work on a first-in-the-nation project alongside GE and Deepwater will no doubt
grow our ability and workforce to be the hub for offshore wind here in the
U.S.”
“We are pleased to
support Deepwater Wind’s historic efforts to establish the first offshore wind
warm in the United States. In addition to assisting Deepwater Wind with this
project, we believe ProvPort is perfectly situated to continue to position
Rhode Island as a leader in offshore wind development as we offer 3,500 feet of
linear berthing space, 20 acres of open lay down area and 40’ of deep draft,”
said Paul Moura, chairman of ProvPort’s Board of Directors.
Each 270-foot turbine
tower consists of three sections, and weighs approximately 440 tons.
Construction of the turbines is being completed at two Rhode Island sites, with
the construction, staging work and vessel staging occurring at Quonset Point.
Deepwater announced it
first “steel in the water”at its site approximately 3 miles southwest of Block
Island in July. Initial placement of steel jacket foundations is complete and
DWW said deck platforms are scheduled for completion in the coming weeks.
“Rhode Island
continues to lead by example with the construction of the nation’s first
offshore wind farm,” Governor Gina M. Raimondo said. “This innovative project
is being assembled by local workers right here in the Ocean State. By working
with our partners at Deepwater Wind and GE, we are advancing important energy
and environmental goals while also creating local jobs that get Rhode Islanders
back to work.”
The final components,
a submarine cable that will connect Block Island and the Block Island Wind Farm
with the mainland is scheduled to begin in 2016, with turbine offshore erection
set for summer.
The announcement
predicted wind power generation to be up and running during the fourth quarter
of 2016.
