Rise Light & Power and Delaware River Partners LLC (DRP) are partnering to position New Jersey as a manufacturing hub in the growing offshore wind industry.
As part of its Outerbridge Renewable Connector project, Rise is preparing to invest millions to develop a shovel-ready site for a submarine cable manufacturing facility at DRP-owned Repauno Port & Rail Terminal in Greenwich Township.
The proposed submarine cable manufacturing facility will have a footprint of approximately 30 acres, along with dock access. Upon approval of the Outerbridge Renewable Connector project, pending before the BPU, Rise and DRP will commence development and permitting work to make the site shovel-ready and to attract an offshore cable manufacturer that would ultimately construct and operate the facility.
“This opportunity will bolster New Jersey’s leadership in offshore wind with a major investment to create good-paying jobs and become a national supply chain leader,” says Clint Plummer, CEO of Rise Light & Power. “The Outerbridge Renewable Connector will revitalize and repurpose infrastructure to meet New Jersey’s bold clean energy goals. We are excited about this partnership with Delaware River Partners.”
“We are proud to enter into a partnership with Rise Light & Power to develop New Jersey’s first submarine cable manufacturing facility,” comments Hank Alexander, DRP’s CEO. “The Repauno Port & Rail Terminal is an ideal location for this project. Conveniently situated along the Delaware River, we are accessible and fully capable of meeting the offshore wind industry’s needs.”
“Wind power is coming to Jersey. Atlantic Shores, Ocean Wind, New York Bight are underway and I’m sure others will follow. Submarine cables taking the power generated by offshore wind to the Rise Light & Power site for distribution is a sensible plan,” states Senator Edward Durr, representing the District of New Jersey in which Repauno is located. “Manufacturing those submarine cable at Repauno is a great opportunity to bring good paying jobs to the Third Legislative District and help generate additional economic development in our community.”
“New Jersey’s first cable manufacturing facility will inject new life into Greenwich Township’s manufacturing sector and provide good-paying local jobs for our residents,” mentions Vince Giovannitti, mayor of Gibbstown. “This is an ideal re-use of the former DuPont property and will be a driver of our local economy.”
Rise and DRP will develop the site to be shovel-ready and collaborate to attract manufactures of two types of subsea cables required for offshore wind farms. First are inter-array cables that connect turbines within the offshore wind farm to an offshore substation, and the second are export cables that connect the offshore substation to the onshore grid.
