Dominion Energy Inc. secured permission Tuesday from the US Interior Department to build a 2.6-gigawatt offshore wind farm near the Virginia coast — making it the country’s largest-ever authorized offshore wind venture.

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is set to encompass as many as 176 turbines installed approximately 23.5 nautical miles off Virginia Beach. The company has said construction could begin in the second quarter of 2024, though some monopile foundations have already been delivered for use in the project.

“Today’s approval of the largest offshore wind project in US history builds on the undeniable momentum we are seeing,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. The agency has green lit four other offshore wind projects, and more proposed ventures are in review.

The Virginia approval comes as renewable power developers confront a series of challenges that have cast doubt on the pace of the offshore wind buildout around the world. Companies are encountering supply chain constraints and spiraling costs for every component of the multi-billion-dollar projects, from financing to foundations. Developers and federal regulators also are grappling with concerns about the way turbines might affect endangered whale habitat.

Author: Jennifer A. Dlouhy