Ørsted and Eversource have announced the commencement of the first American-built offshore wind substation, which will be deployed at the developers’ South Fork Wind project serving New York’s Long Island.

Ørsted and Eversource have selected Kiewit Offshore Services, Ltd. (Kiewit), the largest offshore fabricator in the U.S., to design and build the substation for the 132-megawatt South Fork Wind project – New York’s first offshore wind farm. The 1,500-ton, 60-foot-tall substation will be built at Kiewit’s facility in Ingleside, Texas, near Corpus Christi.

More than 350 workers across three states will support this South Fork Wind structure. The fabrication workers in Ingleside will be supported by teams in Houston and Kansas. In addition, hundreds of union workers in the Northeast will support the South Fork Wind project and additional initiatives in the region.

“We’re helping to build a new U.S. manufacturing industry that will create thousands of good-paying jobs not just in the Northeast but in communities across the United States,” said David Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of Ørsted Offshore North America. “We’re proud to partner with Kiewit to deliver the first American-made offshore wind substation. This initiative is part of our commitment to deliver for our long-term partners, combining international experience with local expertise in communities across the country.”

“Achieving our nation’s clean energy goals will be largely dependent on U.S.-based companies like Kiewit, and we are excited to partner with them to deliver the first U.S.-made offshore wind substation,” Joe Nolan, Chief Executive Officer and President of Eversource Energy. “Our partnership with Kiewit marks another significant milestone for the U.S. offshore wind industry and signals the growth of the next great maritime industry throughout the country. We are committed to creating a clean energy future and fostering opportunities for all Americans.”

Kiewit expects to begin construction on the substation in November and complete the work by spring 2023, before transiting the substation across the Gulf of Mexico and up the East Coast for installation at the South Fork Wind site in the summer of 2023.