Vineyard Wind has announced a partnership with Marmon Utility, a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway company headquartered in Seymour, Conn.
The agreement calls for Marmon Utility to establish manufacturing capabilities at its Connecticut facility to produce Kerite cables for Vineyard Wind’s proposed Park City Wind project. The agreement will go into effect if Vineyard Wind is awarded long-term contracts from Connecticut to provide 800 MW or greater of offshore wind power in response to the state’s 2019 solicitation.
Under the planned partnership, Marmon Utility will invest up to $4 million to hire personnel and make equipment upgrades at the facility. In turn, Vineyard Wind is committed to selecting Kerite cable brand as its preferred cable supplier for at least 50% of the offshore wind project.
According to the partners, the supply contract could lead to nearly $40 million in direct expenditures in Connecticut, while the Seymour facility expansion could create an estimated 35 permanent jobs. Over the next decade, the expanded facility could create up to 350 jobs and almost $400 million in direct revenue in Connecticut.
“The partnership between Vineyard Wind and Marmon Utility to establish the first American Tier 1 Offshore Wind Supplier in Connecticut is an incredible opportunity for the state to truly develop a world-class offshore wind industry,” says Lars Thaaning Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “Today’s announcement is an exciting step in the right direction, but it is only the beginning. Similar to the aerospace sector, we believe that manufacturers all over the state can be a part of this emerging industry, creating long-term jobs and economic opportunity for Connecticut residents.”
The Park City Wind proposal includes options to develop an up-to 1,200 MW project, which would generate enough electricity to power 600,000 Connecticut homes.
