VIRGINIA BEACH — The first turbine of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project off the coast of Virginia Beach is generating power for the grid that serves Dominion Energy customers.
The turbine, which connected to the grid Monday, can generate 14.7 megawatts of energy, according to a company spokesperson. The electric utility has fully constructed two turbines and a third is underway. Two pilot turbines have been operational since October 2020.
Crews began to install the first turbine tower — a massive cylinder around 482 feet above sea level — in January.
Dominion Energy plans to install 176 wind turbines 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. The project began in May 2024 and is more than 70% complete.
Estimated total project costs have increased from an original price tag of $9.8 billion to approximately $11.5 billion. The utility has said the increases are due to tariffs and a stop work order issued in December by the federal government. Work on the 2.6-gigawatt project was allowed to resume Jan. 16, when a federal judge found delays would likely cause Dominion irreparable harm and granted a preliminary injunction.
The electric utility company will incrementally bring additional turbines online throughout the year with full completion scheduled for early 2027.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com