New Jersey’s prospective offshore wind industry took a major hit in October, when wind energy company Ørsted announced it was scuttling its massive projects along the Jersey Shore. But a key part of the offshore wind network – the underground transmission network that connects the turbines to the shore – is still moving ahead.
Invenergy, a Chicago-based power company, announced today that it has acquired the transmission project previously known as Atlantic Power Transmission and will continue to develop transmission lines under the new name Jersey Link.
“This announcement underscores Invenergy’s continued commitment to building the critical infrastructure required to advance the offshore wind and transmission goals of New Jersey, and the US at large,” Jersey Link’s senior project director Robert Taylor said in a statement.
Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy directed the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to solicit new proposals for offshore wind projects, saying that New Jersey “can – and will – continue to remain a burgeoning offshore wind development hub that attracts new projects and their accompanying economic and environmental benefits for generations to come.”
The new solicitation window will be the state’s fourth time inviting wind projects; during the third window, Invenergy submitted a proposed up-to-2,400 megawatt project along the Jersey Shore called Leading Light Wind. That project, along with three others submitted during the same window, is still under consideration by the BPU.
Even with Ørsted’s withdrawal, the ultimate state goal is to generate 11,000 megawatts of energy via offshore wind by 2040. Jersey Link, the transmission project, would be capable of transmitting up to 3,600 megawatts.
“Jersey Link will provide the opportunity to create fair wage union jobs throughout our community,” International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 business manager Greg Lalevee said. “This project ensures that the work will stay local and will prioritize safety standards as New Jersey continues to build a clean energy industry.”