Coastal Virginia:
“The state is teaming up with Dominion Virginia Power in a
research project that is intended to smooth the way for the development of an
offshore wind industry. The Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advance Project
proposes putting two 6-megawatt wind turbines on platforms designed to
withstand hurricane-force winds. The turbines would be located 24 nautical
miles (27 statute miles) off Virginia Beach.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced Thursday it
is seeking written public comment on the project as it prepares an
environmental assessment. It scheduled a meeting for April 3 in Virginia Beach
for the public to speak out on the proposal. Last September, Dominion submitted
a successful bid of $1.6 million bid to lease nearly 113,000 offshore acres for
the development of wind power. Full development of the area could produce 2,000
megawatts of electricity, enough to power 700,000 homes. Besides the turbines,
the project would also include cable linking the turbines to the electric grid
in Virginia Beach. The project is expected to be operational by 2017. The
so-called demonstration project received a $4 million grant from the U.S.
Energy Department.”
~Writes The Associated
Press
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