Avangrid, Inc., a leading sustainable energy company and part of the Iberdrola Group and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), has announced a major Vineyard Wind 1 project milestone. Located off the coast of Massachusetts, Vineyard Wind 1 is now delivering over 136 MW of clean energy to the local grid, making it the largest operating offshore wind project in the United States.
The project currently operates ten turbines, generating enough electricity to power approximately 64,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth. “With 10 turbines now in operation, Avangrid is delivering enough clean energy to power more than 60,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts,” said Pedro Azagra, CEO of Avangrid. This milestone signifies a substantial step forward for the project and highlights the significant role of offshore wind in meeting the region's energy demands.
Vineyard Wind 1’s journey has been marked by several key achievements. As of now, 47 foundations and transition pieces have been installed, along with 21 turbines, with the 22nd turbine installation underway.
The power generated by Vineyard Wind 1 interconnects with the New England grid in Barnstable, utilizing underground cables connected to an inland substation on Cape Cod. This infrastructure ensures a reliable energy supply and mitigates environmental impacts by reducing carbon emissions. A 2018 ISO New England assessment projected that 800 MW of offshore wind could save ratepayers $40-45 million and avoid over 108,000 metric tons of carbon emissions during a two-week cold snap, highlighting the critical role of offshore wind in addressing winter peak demand in the Northeast.
The project has been a model for local job creation and economic investment. Vineyard Wind recognized the importance of supporting a skilled and diverse workforce, collaborating with union leadership to ensure the project’s benefits extended to the local community. The first Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for an offshore wind project in the US, signed in July 2021, committed to creating 500 union jobs. By December 2023, the project had nearly doubled this commitment, creating 937 union jobs during its construction phase.
Construction milestones include the start of offshore construction in late 2022, achieving steel-in-the-water in June 2023, and completing the nation’s first offshore substation in July 2023. The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal facilitated these achievements, further emphasizing the project’s integration with local infrastructure and communities.
When fully operational, Vineyard Wind 1 will generate 806 MW of electricity, enough to power over 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts. The project is expected to create 3,600 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years, and reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons annually—the equivalent of removing 325,000 cars from the road each year.
