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Dominion Energy’s major Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is now sending surges of power to the grid, after its first commercial turbine was switched on Monday. It is the largest offshore wind project in America.
The single turbine, separate from the structure’s two pilot turbines that have been operational since 2020, is producing 14.7 megawatts, transmitting electricity via underwater cables. Dominion said this is a major milestone for the project, which faced a federal stop-work order due to reported national security concerns in December.
“This project is not just about energy — it’s about national security,” said U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, “Reliable, domestically produced power strengthens the resilience of critical military infrastructure, including our local bases, ensuring our forces can operate without disruption.“
Virginia Democratic U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, in celebrating the project Monday, stating that CVOW continues to create jobs for Virginians and is growing the state’s clean economy.
“After years of work, we’re absolutely thrilled that the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the largest commercial-scale offshore wind project in the United States, is now providing clean, reliable energy to Virginians,” the joint statement said.
The project is about 70% completed, with 176 monopiles built and 157 transition pieces installed. It’s located off the coast of Virginia Beach and power flows to a transmission station at the nearby State Military Reservation.
Two permanent turbines have been constructed, although power is currently only being generated from one. Construction on a third is just beginning. The turbines will be turned on gradually throughout the rest of the year until the project, estimated to wrap in early 2027, is finished.
CVOW started with a price tag of $9.8 billion and the cost has risen to $11.5 billion.
The most recent increase, the company reports, is due to tariffs creating an additional $137 million in costs. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s December suspension order added $228 million due to delayed work, but Dominion says they’re still on track to complete the project next year.
Customers have to pay for 100% of the costs up to $10.3 billion and only responsible for 50% of the cost of the project up to $11.3 billion, according to the State Corporation Commission’s original approval. Anything above that cost, up to $13.7 billion, is on Dominion. The utility is splitting their costs with their equity partner for the project, Stonepeak.
When the project is complete it will produce 2.6 gigawatts of energy, enough to power 660,000 homes.