Ørsted announces operational delay on Skipjack Wind Farm until 2026

By Glenn Rolfe
Posted 3/1/21

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Ørsted, the Danish clean-energy company seeking to land a suitable shore-based interconnect off Delmarva’s coast for its Skipjack Wind Farm, has delayed the time frame for the wind-power project until 2026 — some three years later than originally planned.

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Ørsted announces operational delay on Skipjack Wind Farm until 2026

Posted

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Ørsted, the Danish clean-energy company seeking to land a suitable shore-based interconnect off Delmarva’s coast for its Skipjack Wind Farm, has delayed the time frame for the wind-power project until 2026 — some three years later than originally planned.

“Ørsted has notified the Maryland Public Service Commission that we now expect the Skipjack Wind Farm will achieve commercial operations by the end of the second quarter of 2026,” Ørsted stated in a press release issued Friday. “Ørsted is fully committed to building, owning, and operating the project, and to delivering clean, reliable offshore wind energy to the Delmarva region. Skipjack represents a long-term partnership with the State of Maryland, and we are proud to be a part of the state’s effort to achieve its ambitious renewable energy goals.”

The company statement continued, “Because of its strong infrastructure assets and strategic location, Maryland is well positioned to play a key role in the development of this new American industry. Ørsted has made, and will continue to make, significant investments in the state and region to support offshore wind development and operation for many years to come. The commitments we make to states and local communities are decades long and it is a responsibility the company takes seriously. We will continue to work with communities and stakeholder groups in the region as we progress the development of the Skipjack Wind Farm.”

Henry Fawell, a public relations representative, said Ørsted has “no updates to share on interconnection at this time.”

Last summer, Ørsted pulled the plug on a proposed interconnect facility for its wind farm project at Fenwick Island (Delaware) State Park, citing environmental concerns for undisturbed wetlands.

In July 2019, Ørsted entered a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to construct the beach-based interconnection facility within Fenwick Island State Park through a lease agreement. At that time, Ørsted was committed to completing the Skipjack Wind Farm by late 2023.

However, additional site evaluation revealed an abundance of undisturbed wetlands at the state park location. Ørsted subsequently informed DNREC it was abandoning plans for that interconnect site, a move that led to the project’s delay.

Under the proposed lease partnership with DNREC, Ørsted would have provided up to $18 million in improvements at Fenwick Island State Park in exchange for placing Skipjack’s interconnection site there.

Plans for the interconnect at Fenwick Island State Park drew heavy opposition from residents, as well as Fenwick town officials.

Ørsted representatives have stated the wind turbines for Skipjack will be located approximately 19 miles from the Delmarva coast.

Skipjack, proposed in response to Maryland’s Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, is geared to provide clean power to upward of 35,000 homes and can help Maryland meet its clean-energy and emission-reduction goals.

As announced by Ørsted, Skipjack is an offshore wind project comprised of up to 15 turbines off the Delaware coast. The nearest turbine would be 19 miles from Bethany Beach, Delaware. In comparison, America’s first offshore wind farm, the Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island, is 3.5 miles from shore.

Skipjack will have no impact on Delaware electricity costs because Ørsted’s offshore renewable-energy credit agreement is with Maryland.

“Ørsted is committed to bringing the benefits of offshore wind to the Delmarva region and we look forward to our continued partnership with our stakeholders,” said company stated. “We wish to thank the states of Maryland and Delaware and our many partners at the local, state and federal level for their continued engagement, and look forward to making several exciting announcements in the weeks to come.”

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