Sunrise Wind Announces Plan to Create 100 Jobs, Construct Offshore Wind "Hub" in Port Jefferson

PORT JEFFERSON, NY — Sunrise Wind – a joint offshore wind proposal from Ørsted and Eversource – today announced a plan to construct a new Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Hub in the greater Port Jefferson area, creating up to 100 new, full-time jobs. Making the announcement today in Port Jefferson, alongside state and local elected officials representing Port Jefferson Village, the Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County, the Sunrise Wind team outlined their plans for the O&M Hub, which would include dockage for a 250-foot Service Operation Vessel (SOV), with a warehouse and office facility in the vicinity.

Following last week’s announcement by Ørsted and Eversource to invest $10 million to create a National Workforce Training Center in partnership with Suffolk County Community College and leading unions, today’s announcement further ensures Long Island’s future in an emerging offshore wind industry in New York. The commitment to Port Jefferson, which, like the National Workforce Training Center investment, is conditioned on an award in NYSERDA's pending offshore wind RFP and is also subject to the receipt of all required site control, permits and approvals. The O&M facility positions Long Island to lead offshore wind workforce training efforts and the cultivation of a local talent pool, making Suffolk County an epicenter for future advancement of offshore wind operations for years to come.

“While New York is taking a big step forward by pursuing aggressive offshore wind and renewable energy goals, it has been our strategy to offer a comprehensive, ground-breaking plan that would do just that with the highest possible levels of public support from the community,” said Thomas Brostrøm, President of Ørsted North America and CEO of Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind. “From a National Workforce Training Center at SCCC to our latest O&M Hub announcement, we remain entirely dedicated to our investment in Long Island.”

“The plan to locate an O&M Hub in the Port Jefferson area represents our commitment to collaborating with the Long Island community, putting people to work, and making investments that will bring additional opportunity to the area,” said Pat Smith, Vice President of Transmission Business Development at Eversource.

The proposed O&M Hub would create up to 100 permanent full-time jobs in New York State and will require suitable land with marine access – multiple sites for which have been identified.

“It is a point of optimism to see the harbor village of Port Jefferson, long associated with an oil-fired power plant, be chosen as operations hub for what could be the first offshore wind energy development in New York State,” said Assemblyman Steve Englebright. “As the Sunrise Wind project is important for the future of a clean energy Long Island, it is also important for Port Jefferson as a significant step in the village’s transformation into playing a part in the advancement of Suffolk County as the gravitation center of a renewable energy economy.”

As Suffolk County has been developing a clean energy economy, we are working closely with the new offshore wind industry and are prepared to grow this industry locally,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “These high-skilled jobs are part of a broader vision to serve as the epicenter of a manufacturing renaissance across the nation.  I thank Sunrise Wind for its willingness to engage local stakeholders and their commitment to all Long Islanders.”

“Port Jefferson has always been a leader and a collaborative partner in green energy and job growth. Our deep-water harbor and strategically located power plant make our village uniquely positioned to support the state’s clean energy plan and to draw new and meaningful economic opportunity to the area,” said Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant. “Ørsted and Eversource recognize this exciting potential, and we look forward to supporting their vision and to the good jobs it will mean for our community.”

“We need, renewable energy solutions to protect our environment so that future generations can enjoy and experience the beauty of Long Island. Offshore wind is a key component in expanding Long Island’s renewable energy portfolio,” said Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. “Offshore wind projects will provide the clean, renewable energy our residents need, and provide jobs in this growing sector of our economy.”

The Sunrise Wind project combines Eversource’s industry leading expertise in transmission through its more than 100-year presence in the Northeast, with Ørsted’s world class offshore wind development capabilities, having built the world’s first, the world’s largest, and the U.S.’s first offshore wind farms. Sunrise Wind is partnering with Con Edison Transmission and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to offer New York an opportunity to develop hundreds of megawatts of 100 percent renewable energy.

About Ørsted

The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and innovative waste-to-energy solutions and provides smart energy products to its customers. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs 6,080 people. Ørsted’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2018, the group’s revenue was DKK 76.9 billion (EUR 10.7 billion). For more information on Ørsted, visit orsted.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind delivers clean, renewable energy along the US Eastern Seaboard. The company operates Block Island Wind Farm, America’s first offshore wind farm, and has a comprehensive geographic coverage with the largest pipeline of development capacity, totaling over 8GW in seven states. It is jointly headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island and employs over 75 people.

About Eversource