North America | March 17, 2025

Massive 4,300 t substation installed in Virginia

The first of the three substations was installed for Dominion Energy’s offshore wind farm off Virginia Beach.

 

Image for illustration purposes

USA, Virginia: Dominion Energy announced that DEME Group has successfully lifted and installed the first of three offshore substations as construction progresses on its offshore wind farm off Virginia Beach. Once completed, it will be the largest wind farm in the United States.

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project has reached several key milestones as it prepares to enter its next installation phase in May.

The 4,300 t substation was placed atop one of the jacket foundations, marking a significant step forward in offshore construction. DEME’s installation vessel, Orion, carried out the lift and has now resumed installing transition pieces. By February, 16 transition pieces had been placed following the completion of 78 monopile foundations between May and November 2024. The next phase of monopile installation begins this spring, with the wind farm set to feature 176 turbines generating 2.6 GW of electricity upon completion.

Despite challenges facing the U.S. offshore wind industry, Dominion Energy affirms that the project remains on schedule.

Meanwhile, the Port of Virginia and Skanska have completed a $233 M redevelopment of the Portsmouth Marine Terminal, preparing 29 ha (72 acres) and 457 m (1,500 feet) of wharf space for staging and wind operations. The facility now includes three heavy lift berths and storage areas for turbine components.

Dominion reported that fabrication of wind turbine towers and blades is in progress, with nacelle production set to begin soon. Other major components, including monopiles and undersea cables, continue arriving in Portsmouth for staging.

With the project now 50 % complete, Dominion Energy remains on track to finish construction by the end of 2026.

Source: Business Wire