South Fork Wind
Project Overview
Opportunity
In 2019, the governor of New York signed legislation committing the state to moving toward 100% renewable energy, including 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035.
On Long Island, where electric rates are notoriously high, the Town of East Hampton set its own goal of making its energy supply 100% renewable.
Solution
South Fork Wind was designed to generate power at a wind farm 35 miles (56 kilometers) from Montauk Point on Long Island. Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) would be used to carry the marine export cable to a landfall in Wainscott, NY.
Ørsted retained Mott MacDonald to design the landfall, to perform a 4D model (three dimensions plus time) of the HDD operations and tie-ins, and to perform inspection services during construction. We prepared design drawings and construction contract documents to support permitting and procurement of construction contractors.
In December 2022, the HDD was successfully installed from Beach Lane, below a beach parking lot, and under the beach and nearshore area. The borehole was installed to a point 2,723 feet offshore.
A plastic conduit pipe 24 inches in diameter was pulled through the hole. In the future, a transmission cable 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) in diameter will be pulled through the pipe. The marine export cable will be jointed with the onshore export cable inside the transition Joint Bay at the landfall and the export cable will be terminated at the new built substation. The point of interconnection is at a existing substation just adjacent to the new substation.
Outcome
The 4D model was used to simulate construction operations and to evaluate and mitigate project constraints and risks. The 4D model was instrumental in optimizing the design concept and obtaining stakeholder buy-in.
Onshore and offshore construction of the HDD was completed in December 2022. By the end of 2023, a 12-turbine wind farm will produce enough clean, renewable energy every year to power 70,000 homes. The wind farm will displace millions of tons of carbon emissions — the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the road.