Project Facts

The South Fork Wind Farm project proposes to build a 15 turbine station 35 miles off the coast of Montauk and not visible from land. It is expected to provide electricity for 70,000 South Fork homes, or virtually all of our energy needs during the winter months. During the peak summer season when demand is highest, the wind power electricity will be augmented by power from the west of us (a mix of fossil fuel, hydro-electric, nuclear, some solar, and other sources.)

A submarine transmission cable, 12 to 18 inches in diameter, will bring the electricity from the wind turbines to a landing site onshore, with the transmission cable continuing underground to the East Hampton substation at Cove Hollow Road. After many months of work, two potential sites were identified as appropriate “landing sites”. The preferred site is Beach Lane in Wainscott, in part because of its proximity to the Cove Hollow substation. The alternative site is Hither Hills State Park just west of Montauk.

FaQs

Do we really need more electric power?
Yes! Energy demand on the South Fork is growing at almost twice the rate of the rest of Long Island. This small wind farm, only 15 turbines, and out of sight 35 miles off Montauk, will go a long way toward helping the towns of East Hampton and Southampton to reach their goals of 100% renewable energy. Currently, diesel and gas-powered generators (placed at our substations in town) augment the existing power generation which add unhealthy air pollution right here in our own backyards.

Why do we need to have our own source of wind energy? Can’t we just get our energy from the bigger wind farms proposed for Brookhaven and further West?
The current power lines that deliver energy to us from the West were built decades ago. This infrastructure is aging and is insufficient to import 100% of the electricity we need. We would need higher voltage capacity transmission lines built and this would be a multi-million dollar project. The cost of this construction would be passed along to local rate payers. The need for more electric power is evident: LIPA has already had to build temporary fossil-fired generators in East Hampton and Montauk that spew fossil fuel vapors over our very own East End. Energy use on the South Fork is growing much more rapidly than elsewhere in Suffolk.

How do we know the South Fork Wind Farm electricity won’t just be exported to meet needs west of us?
In 2015 LIPA ran a competitive bid asking for proposals to provide energy for the South Fork alone. They received over a dozen proposals that included fossil power plants and solar installations. The conclusion was that the wind farm proposal was the most cost effective, and would have the least impact on utility bills. This project is a very small wind farm by industry standards, only 15 turbines – only enough to meet the needs on the South Fork.

What will be the impact on my electric utility bill?
The average monthly electric bill will rise only by about $1.50 total. One benefit of wind power over fossil fuel is that it is not subject to unpredictable fluctuations in cost due to political and supply issues. Another benefit is that the wind farm has signed a contract with the utility company to provide electricity at a stable, pre-set price per kilowatt. The cost to the consumer will not fluctuate, even if the wind farm has to take a loss due to cost overruns or other factors. The major benefit, in our view, is that the wind farm will help reduce the amount of carbon we consumers are currently spewing into the atmosphere, causing global climate change with catastrophic consequences.

What if the construction costs are more than predicted? Will that impact my electric bill?
Unlike previous fossil fuel plants and nuclear power plants, any cost overruns will be paid entirely by the wind farm developer, not by the utility and therefore not by the ratepayers!

Why won’t ORSTED disclose the price per kilowatt that they agreed upon? Why won’t PSEG disclose the price they will pay per kilowatt hour?
Orsted, the developer, is bound by contracts with the utility company not to disclose this “propriety information”. We strongly disagree with this longstanding policy and support Assemblyman Fred Thiele’s State Assembly bill to require the disclosure of this information. Each state has different rules about this and NY State has a longstanding policy of not requiring it. But Orsted has fully provided such information in other states where they have proposals for wind farms (Rhode Island, New Jersey) so the failure to disclose this information is not Orsted’s, but is actually imposed on the developer by contractual agreement and New York State policy, This practice is not, as some have accused, at Orsted’s discretion.

Who is the wind farm developer and why should we trust them?
The company that won the competitive bid to build the South Fork Wind Farm has subsequently been acquired by Orsted, a Danish company that pioneered offshore wind in 1991, in partnership with Eversource, a New England energy company with decades of experience in cable installation. Orsted is one of the most experienced offshore wind energy companies in the world. The company now supplies over 25% of all offshore wind in the world, with thousands of turbines primarily in Europe. In 2018, Orstead won the Energy Transition Award for the company’s leadership in transitioning away from harmful fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. They also won a Global Award for Ethics in advertising.

How will this project affect fishing?
The experiences of fishing interests off the coast of England and closer to home, at Block Island, R.I. have been positive. Orsted is committed to working closely with the L.I. fishing fleet to protect their long term interests, as well as to mitigate disturbance during construction. All electrical cables will be safely buried beneath the sea floor so that all types of fishing vessels can safely navigate over them. State and federal agencies were careful to exclude the slopes along the sea floor of the area called Cox Ledge because of their value to the fishing community. There may be some disturbance during construction. However, after construction it has been shown that fish and lobster are drawn to the foundations of the wind turbines because they act as artificial reef.

How will installation of the cable impact the beach?
The cable will be installed using a technique known as horizontal direction drilling (HDD) that allows deep drilling under the beach without ever disturbing its surface. Public access to the beach can be maintained throughout the construction process. HDD is a well-tested and proven process that will allow the installation of underground conduit that connects the road upland from the beach to a point 1,750 feet offshore (from the mean high water mark) where it will meet the cable buried, under the seafloor. that runs to the turbines.

At Beach Lane in Wainscott, the conduit will be installed at least 30 feet under the beach and deep under the near shore area, ensuring it will be protected from erosion and major storms over its full life. The only visible evidence of a cable landing will be a set of standard manhole covers, and a nicely restored road.

Should we be concerned about the Electromagnetic fields (EMFs)?

No more so than standing next to your refrigerator! EMFs exist wherever something is powered by electricity. This includes your toaster, cell phone, laptop, refrigerator, all the wiring in your home, and the wiring on electric utility poles, etc. In other words, EMFs ARE WHEREVER THERE IS ELECTRICITY. Misleading claims that EMFs will create a barrier that bottom fish will not cross, disrupting their annual inshore migration from offshore wintering areas, has not been observed anywhere in the world. This includes the very powerful cables running from New Jersey to Long Island, and Connecticut to Long Island. The less powerful South Fork Wind cable is about 9 inch diameter, including shields and insulation which significantly reduce the surrounding EMF. In addition the cable will be buried 30 feet under the beach landing site, and 4 to 5 feet beneath the sea floor which further reduces the EMF.