Revolution Wind hits ‘steel in water’ milestone

New London – Revolution Wind, a joint project of Eversource and Ørsted that uses State Pier as its turbine-assembly headquarters, announced Friday that it has hit the first milestone along the way toward creating clean power for more than 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The so-called “steel in the water” milestone was met this week as the project began installing its first turbine foundation about 35 miles off the Connecticut coast between Block Island and Martha’s Vineyard.

"Revolution Wind’s first foundation in the water brings offshore wind one step closer to reality for New England residents,“ U.S. Sen Richard Blumenthal said in a release.

Gov. Ned Lamont said the start of the project put Connecticut on track to achieving a zero-carbon energy grid.

The project when fully operational will produce 400 megawatts of offshore wind power in Rhode Island and 304 megawatts in Connecticut. By comparison, the Millstone nuclear power plants in Waterford produce a combined 2,100 megawatts annually.

Revolution Wind is considered to be the first multi-state offshore wind project in the United States. It is the second offshore wind project to be marshaled in New London, after the completion of South Fork Wind earlier in the year, and the first to provide wind power directly to Connecticut.

“Getting this foundation in the water is a huge milestone in our years-long effort to make offshore wind a reality in Connecticut," said U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy in a release.

Turbine components began arriving in New London earlier this month, and the first blades are expected to reach State Pier on May 29.