General
When is the commercial project scheduled to become operational and deliver power to the grid?
The CVOW commercial project is scheduled to complete construction in late 2026. Once fully constructed, the project will generate up to 9.5 million megawatt-hours per year of clean, renewable wind offshore wind energy — enough to power up to 660,000 homes.
How many turbines will be installed for the commercial project?
We will install 176 14.7-megawatt Siemens Gamesa turbines, which will create enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes.
Who will handle the maintenance of the turbines?
For the CVOW pilot project, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy provides offshore wind technicians to maintain the turbines. For the next phase of the CVOW project, Dominion Energy and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy have entered into an agreement and will share responsibility for hiring and training offshore wind technicians to maintain the turbines. We anticipate approximately 80 full-time employees will be engaged in the operation of CVOW when construction is completed in 2026.
Will the turbines that are installed for the commercial project be able to withstand extreme weather?
The design basis for the pilot turbines is a Category 2 hurricane, which has wind speeds between 96 and 110 miles per hour. In fact, the two turbines currently operational are designed to withstand wind gusts up to 157 miles per hour and sustained wind gusts of 112 miles per hour, in excess of any recorded storms in the project area.
What are the next steps in the permitting process?
We have all the federal, state and local approvals needed for CVOW construction. Those permits are available under the Resources section at coastalvawind.com.
What is involved in the BOEM review process?
BOEM acts as a coordinating agency to ensure a thorough and rigorous review of CVOW to complete the analysis required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In fact, more than two dozen studies have been completed and submitted as part of the NEPA review. The review of the COP incorporates and encourages extensive stakeholder participation, including the relevant federal, state and local agencies and affected Native American tribes during the review process.
Who, other than the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, was engaged during the environmental review?
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process included a thorough environmental analysis of the CVOW project, across a dozen federal agencies, as well as extensive engagement with Tribes; environmental and fisheries groups; and community members. In addition, we worked with state agencies and localities to carefully analyze potential impacts to the land, air and water quality, wildlife and other resources.
Will the turbines be visible from shore?
The turbines are located in a lease area that begins 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach and extends an additional 15 miles to the east in the Atlantic Ocean. At that distance, the curvature of the Earth will make it difficult to see the turbines clearly from shore.
The turbines can be more visible under certain circumstances, specifically at higher elevations and at night due to necessary safety features, such as navigational lighting. We are painting the turbine towers a light gray that will blend in with the skyline. The Automatic Detection Lighting System we are using on our turbines will only activate when airplanes are detected in the area (three nautical miles and 1,000 feet above the blade tips), so the time the lights are on, and potentially visible, is significantly reduced.
Powering Homes & Businesses
What is the expected timeframe for construction of transmission infrastructure needed to support offshore wind?
The Virginia State Corporation Commission approved the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the electric transmission route and associated infrastructure in August 2022. After negotiating easements along a final route, pre-construction began in November 2023, and construction is expected to occur through 2026.
Why is Fentress the only endpoint? Why can’t CVOW be connected to the electrical system at another substation?
Fentress was chosen as the location for the interconnection due to its ability to reliably allow for the delivery of the large amount of electricity that will come onshore from the offshore wind generation.
Why was it necessary for Fentress Substation to be expanded?
Fentress Substation was expanded to accommodate the new equipment needed to support the additional transmission lines that connect offshore wind energy to the broader electric grid. The expansion occurred within the existing property boundary.
Why couldn't you underground the entire project?
We investigated a 100% underground route option; however, due to significant environmental impacts on the area, cost and construction complexities, this option was not determined to be feasible.
Why couldn't you use only existing rights-of-way?
We looked for every opportunity to co-locate with existing rights-of-way and other available space to minimize impacts to communities and sensitive resources. The route which state regulators ultimately approved is the shortest, limits the need for new right-of-way and also minimizes, to the greatest extent possible, impacts on the environment and historical and cultural resources.
With 92% of the route located within the undeveloped and former Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt roadway study corridor or co-located within existing transmission corridors, the approved route also limits direct impacts to private property and the community.
Were existing rights-of-way widened?
In some areas, yes, although the extent of the widening varied. We need a 140-foot right-of-way to maintain electrical and safety clearances. Where the approved transmission route co-locates with existing infrastructure, the right-of-way corridors did not need to be expanded by the full 140 feet.
What do the new transmission structures look like?
In most instances, the new structures are single-circuit, steel monopoles. They are, on average, 130 feet tall. In some limited instances, we utilized double-circuit, steel monopoles averaging 130 feet in height.
Environmental
What will be the environmental impact on the marine environment?
We comply with all state and federal environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act and other applicable regulations. We completed local, state and federal regulatory permitting processes, to ensure the wind farm was designed and operated to avoid and minimize potential impacts to the environment. These approvals were required prior to receiving final authorization to proceed with construction from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
We have PSOs (protected species observers) on survey vessels surrounding construction zones at all times during construction.
Can the turbine blades be disposed of safely?
We strive to reduce our environmental impact for all our operations and, wherever possible, maximize beneficial reuse of all CVOW materials. Using current technology, the vast majority of wind turbine blades can be recovered, reused or repurposed. One company has even developed a method to break down blades and press them into pellets and fiber boards used for flooring and walls. There is a small percentage of a wind turbine blade that cannot be repurposed; the material is landfill-safe and represents a small fraction of overall U.S. municipal solid waste.
Given the 30-year lifespan of turbine blades and our partnerships in advancing the U.S. wind industry, we anticipate technology to advance over time, enabling us to further advance the sustainability of the offshore wind industry.
Will this project interfere with commercial shipping lanes?
No. The offshore wind lease area was identified through an intergovernmental task force created by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in 2009. It was selected only after extensive collaboration between the Commonwealth and stakeholders to avoid existing uses of the area, including ecological habitats, military training areas, marine vessel traffic, dredge disposal sites and other areas of concern.
Please describe your work to mitigate potential impacts on sensitive species.
We are fully committed to meeting the energy needs of our customers in an environmentally responsible manner. Some of the environmental evaluations and activities Dominion Energy has undertaken with the CVOW project include:
- Extensive survey work — more than two dozen studies and surveys — conducted to ensure the protection of ocean life and avian species.
- Continual monitoring to protect sea life — dolphins, sea turtles and whales — during construction and surveying; work is stopped until the area is clear.
- Protective technology to mitigate sound during construction.
- Minimizing impacts to sea floor and aquatic life during installation for offshore export cables.
Will this project threaten birds?
With the project area located 27 to 42 miles offshore, the turbines are outside the typical flight paths of many birds and bats; however, we do know some species fly in the vicinity of the CVOW area. We are utilizing the latest technology to monitor bird and bat activity in the area of our two-turbine pilot project. We are also performing boat-based avian surveys on a periodic basis to determine the density of birds in the CVOW area at different times of the year.
The information gathered from this monitoring helps us learn more about avian and bat populations in the CVOW area, which will allow us to evaluate any potential impacts to bird and bat species for the commercial project.
We also work with state and federal agencies as well as interested groups to develop a specific monitoring strategy to address those impacts.
Mariners & Fisheries
How and why was this location chosen?
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has a multi-step process to identify areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) that appear most suitable for commercial wind energy activities, while presenting the fewest apparent environmental concerns and competing uses, including the operation of fisheries. For more information, please see BOEM’s Citizen’s Guide for the renewable energy authorization process here.
Will fishers be able to continue fishing within the lease area?
For safety reasons, some areas will be temporarily unavailable for fishing and vessel traffic during construction of the project. However, once construction is complete, the lease area will be open to vessel traffic and fishing activities. Dominion Energy will communicate the status of construction and availability of the area to the public through active stakeholder outreach and Local Notice to Mariners.
How is Dominion Energy addressing navigational safety?
Dominion Energy utilizes various options to ensure proper navigation around the project during construction, including safety vessel(s) and cardinal buoys. Additionally, Local Notices to Mariners (LNTM) are released in due course prior to construction, and Dominion Energy maintains ongoing coordination with the port authority, the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Navy Fleet Forces. A project communications plan maintains this crucial interface to ensure awareness of ongoing construction activities at the project site.
Will the cables within the wind farm and connecting to shore be buried?
Yes, all cables will be buried. Interarray cables will be buried nearly 5 feet deep (1.5 meters), while export cables will be buried approximately 8 feet deep (2.5 meters).
Are there any Electromagnetic Field (EMF) impacts to the environment associated with the turbines and cables?
Results from recent field and laboratory studies have not shown measurable effects and responses to EMF at the low EMF intensities associated with Marine Renewable Energy. The potential for EMF impact on bottom-dwelling fishes and benthic invertebrates continues to be the subject of ongoing studies.
Workforce & Supply Chain
What requests for proposal (RFPs) have been issued? What has been the response?
Dominion Energy followed a rigorous, competitive procurement process to reach an agreement on major contract packages for CVOW, resulting in the selection of industry leading wind partners.
Below is a brief summary of the major contracts:
- EEW SPC, with more than 80 years of experience producing steel pipe and corresponding pipe components, is manufacturing 176 steel monopile foundations, the largest being 268 feet long and weighing 1,755 tons.
- CS Wind (formerly Bladt Industries) is manufacturing 176 transition pieces, weighing as much as 800 tons, and will bind the monopile foundation and turbine together while providing physical access to the turbines. CS Wind has more than 25 years of experience working with turbine foundations and offshore substations.
- CS Wind and Semco Maritime are manufacturing components for the three offshore substations, which are multi-story units weighing about 4,000 tons each, a topside platform with helicopter landing pad 157 feet above the water and support structures installed in the sea floor.
- DEME Offshore US LLC and Prysmian Group, as a consortium, are providing Balance of Plant services, including the transportation and installation of the foundation and substation components and installation of the undersea cables. DEME Offshore, with a vast array of offshore experience, has installed more than 2,600 offshore wind turbine generators and 2,100 foundations worldwide.
- Prysmian Group, a global leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, is providing all of the subsea inter-array and export cables that will deliver the clean, renewable offshore wind energy to shore.
How will local content be evaluated in future contract awards?
The need to use local content is an important aspect of our discussions with prime contractors and subcontractors.
In early November 2021, we formed the Virginia Supply Chain team, consisting of Dominion Energy project team members representing offshore, onshore, operations, supply chain, public policy and outreach. This team will specifically work with CVOW’s major equipment providers to maximize opportunities for Virginia businesses and job creation.
The magnitude of economic impact and job creation is significant for CVOW. It is even larger if we successfully establish Virginia as a leader in the offshore wind industry.
The best way for your business to get involved in Dominion Energy’s offshore wind project is to pre-register here. Once you are registered, your skills and competencies are readily available for members of the Dominion Energy Supply Chain team to review and evaluate.
Will all wind turbine technicians be required to take and pass the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) safety training? If so, where can they obtain this training?
GWO develops training standards and is a certifying agency led by industry leaders. The safety portion is critical. All who work offshore will need this training. The requirements for going out on a vessel and gaining access to the wind turbines include the five GWO elements:
1. Basic offshore training/onshore training
2. GWO first aid training
3. Working at heights/rescue
4. Fire awareness training
5. Sea survival training
Click here to locate a GWO training provider near you. Please contact each school to assess their GWO training curriculum and which best suits your needs.
It’s important to note that GWO training is good for two years, before recertification training is necessary.
How can I become a supplier for the CVOW project?
To learn more about becoming a supplier to the CVOW project, we invite you to visit the Suppliers page. There you can also find recorded Virtual Supplier Education Sessions in which information was shared on how you can avail your business of the opportunities to participate in the project.
The best way for your business to get involved in Dominion Energy’s offshore wind project is to pre-register.
We also recommend that you visit the Hampton Roads Alliance Offshore Wind site to register with the Virginia Offshore Wind Supply Chain Partnership Directory to stay informed of supply chain opportunities and receive industry updates.
Will Dominion Energy be engaged in selecting subcontractors?
Dominion Energy followed a rigorous, competitive procurement process to reach an agreement on major contract packages for CVOW, which resulted in the selection of industry leading wind partners. These partners are responsible for the ultimate selection of subcontractors; however, we have been actively working with our major equipment providers to engage Virginia’s businesses and workforce development organizations since the second quarter of 2022.
We encourage interested businesses to pre-register in our supply chain system. It is important to register your business in our supply chain system as well as Virginia’s Offshore Wind Supply Chain Partnership Directory, hosted by the Hampton Roads Alliance. This information has been shared with the major equipment providers, and you will be on a mailing list for events, including construction expositions and meetings, as CVOW’s Virginia supply chain and scopes of work are identified.
Please discuss your efforts to make the CVOW project fully self-sufficient using U.S. labor, U.S. manufacturers and U.S. suppliers.
Currently, the offshore wind supply chain in the U.S. is limited. Dominion Energy is collaborating with local, regional and state economic development agencies to recruit and develop a robust domestic offshore wind supply chain based in Virginia.
Is there a central website/organization where job seekers can find opportunities relating to CVOW?
We invite you to visit Dominion Energy’s Careers page: Dominion Energy Careers. This site will allow you to create a profile and share your resume with us. You can also sign up to receive notifications about jobs of specific interest.