The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has published the official notice for comment on Anbaric’s proposed New York and New Jersey OceanGrids offshore transmission system.
Anbaric is the first to present to BOEM a planned transmission system for both New York and New Jersey, and to file and advance its application to use federal waters for underwater cables to connect New York and New Jersey offshore wind to shore.
“Anbaric welcomes this initiative from BOEM and we look forward to our right-of-way application moving through this review process, a critical step in allowing us to build the foundation for deploying renewable power at a meaningful scale,” said Edward Krapels , CEO of Anbaric.
“We applaud BOEM for taking every step to ensure the long-term success of the offshore wind industry.”
The OceanGrids will connect the offshore wind energy sought by New York and New Jersey to onshore grids via offshore collector platforms and cables buried underwater and underground. Anbaric’s application is for a submarine system approximately 185 nautical miles in length. The application also requests an authorization for siting up to nine offshore collector platforms which would collect and distribute power generated from existing offshore wind leases to up to six onshore landings at locations from Long Island, New York to Cardiff, New Jersey.
Each proposed platform would be designed to handle 800 to 1,200 megawatts of offshore wind energy, with the ability to connect multiple offshore wind projects and accommodate phased development within BOEM’s designated wind energy areas.
If BOEM receives indications of competitive interest from qualified entities, the bureau may decide to move forward with the right-of-way grant issuance process using competitive procedures.
“This right-of-way application for an open-access transmission system in federal waters will advance ambitious offshore wind goals while minimizing impacts on the ratepayers and the environment,” said Janice Fuller , president of Anbaric’s New Jersey OceanGrid.
The application for a non-exclusive right-of-way proposes a phased installation of the OceanGrid in each state, scheduled to meet the needs of the evolving offshore wind industry. BOEM will review comments on Anbaric’s application and determine whether there is competitive interest in acquiring the requested grant areas. Anbaric has begun environmental, social, and commercial impact studies for the transmission system described in its application.
“Our BOEM application underscores the need for planned, open-access transmission infrastructure to ensure the rapid growth of the offshore wind industry,” said Kevin Knobloch , president of Anbaric’s New York OceanGrid.