The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has officially accepted an application tendered by EDF Renewables and Fishermen’s Energy for their Nautilus Offshore Wind project.
According to EDF, the agency is expected to review the project over the next few months and make a decision on whether to approve the project for immediate construction, which would be located approximately 2.8 miles east of the coastline of Atlantic City. The project could be completed as soon as 2020, and residents across the state could expect to begin receiving power generated by the project in 2021.
The small-scale project, expected to comprise three wind turbines with a combined capacity of up to 25 MW, is a crucial step in implementing the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act and building a workforce capable of meeting New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s statewide goal of 3.5 GW of offshore wind generation by 2030.
The project is expected to employ the equivalent of 600 workers for a year during construction, as well as additional jobs during operations and maintenance. For the average New Jersey electric consumer, the additional cost of power would amount to about $1.76 per year, estimates EDF.
“Our purpose with Nautilus is not just to deliver offshore wind power but to leverage this initial build to help the New Jersey workforce quickly gain deep expertise in offshore wind in comparison with other states,” says Doug Copeland, EDF Renewables’ regional project manager.
Liz Burdock, president and CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind, adds, “The Nautilus Offshore project is a perfect example of how states can quickly kick off the build of their offshore wind economies. Along our U.S. coastline, offshore wind provides us with the power to create unparalleled job and economic growth.”
