America’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Set to Begin Power Generation in March 2026
Dominion Energy is set to bring America's largest offshore wind farm, the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, online by March 2026, marking a major milestone for renewable energy in the United States. The 2.6-gigawatt project, located approximately 30 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, will feature 176 turbines, dramatically surpassing the five-turbine Block Island Wind Farm, the country's first commercial offshore wind project.
All 176 turbine foundations have been installed, with pile-driving completed during the May-October federal window to protect migrating North Atlantic right whales. The project now enters its final construction phase: turbine installation using Charybdis, the first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel. Each trip of the vessel will install up to four turbines.
CVOW is critical for meeting Virginia's growing electricity demand, driven by a surge in data center construction, and will supply carbon-free power to the state's grid while supporting military infrastructure, including a $500 million upgrade to Naval Air Station Oceana.
The project has been under development for 12 years, with Dominion Energy investing $6 billion, of which nearly $1 billion has benefitted the local economy, creating over 800 jobs in the Hampton Roads region. Nationwide, CVOW has already generated 2,000 direct and indirect jobs and $2 billion in economic activity.
The project has enjoyed bipartisan support, helping it navigate regulatory challenges and ensuring timely construction despite past federal interference with other offshore wind projects.
Source: truthdig.com
