The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the approval of the Wind Construction and Operation Plan (COP) for Avangrid's New England Wind 1 and 2 offshore projects. This is the final approval of these two projects from BOEM, following the agency’s April 2024 Record of Decision (ROD). 

“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to advancing offshore wind energy projects like New England Wind to create jobs, drive economic growth, and cut harmful climate pollution” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “We are proud to announce BOEM’s final approval of the New England Wind projects. They represent a major milestone in our efforts to expand clean energy production and combat climate change.”  

COP approval

The approval will permit the construction and operation of two offshore wind energy facilities, known as New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2, which together will have a total capacity of up to 2,600 megawatts of clean, renewable energy that could power more than 900,000 homes each year.  

The two projects are situated approximately 20 nautical miles (nm) south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and about 24 nm southwest of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The COP for the two projects includes up to 129 wind turbine generators, up to five electric service platforms, and up to five offshore export cables transmitting electricity to onshore transmission systems in the Town of Barnstable and Bristol County, Massachusetts.  

“Completing the federal permitting program for New England Wind is a remarkable achievement made possible by diligence of our team, the engagement of our stakeholders, and the thorough and rigorous review from our federal partners,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “Building offshore wind infrastructure is a complex and unique endeavor, and rightly held to a high regulatory standard. The approval of our COP reflects the depth of our expertise, our exhaustive and detailed planning, and our ability to deliver these critical projects. By securing all federal, state, regional, and local permits, New England Wind 1 has the potential to put shovels in the ground next year and deliver thousands of jobs, local investment, and needed clean energy before the end of the decade.”