The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has approved plans for the construction of America’s largest offshore wind farm, and the first offshore wind farm in New York, USA. The approval of the South Fork Wind Farm, a 90 MW development 30 miles southeast of Montauk, is the first step toward developing an area that can host up to 1000 MW of offshore wind power.
Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York state, has announced a commitment to develop up to 2.4 GW of offshore wind by 2030 in the state.
The LIPA Board approved a contract submitted by Deepwater Wind for the South Fork Wind Farm. Other elements of LIPA’s South Fork energy portfolio include transmission enhancements and additional clean energy solutions such as battery storage and consumer electricity demand reduction. The LIPA board approved a 20-year pay-for-performance Power Purchase Agreement, allowing the utility to pay only for delivered energy without taking construction or operating risk.