Geophysical surveys are nearly complete at the Kitty Hawk offshore wind project — and the enterprise just moved another step forward with approval from Virginia Beach for land to build a substation.
According to offshorewind.biz, the project’s measurement of winds, sea conditions and high-definition digital wildlife surveys have been carried out over the last 12 months.
Avangrid Renewables submitted an application to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management last fall for permission to install equipment to measure wind speeds and sea conditions, offshorewind.biz reports. This phase includes cable laying to Sandbridge, where the grid would be connected.
The wind farm would include 100 turbines on 122,405 acres about 25 miles offshore of Corolla and could be up and running by 2025.
Part of the advance survey work included gathering detailed data on offshore wildlife including birds, sharks, rays, turtles, fish and marine mammals like whales and dolphins. Other survey work includes underwater sonar and seismic profiling. In a federal application, the company reported no serious injury or mortality was anticipated.
Virginia Business reports that the Virginia Beach Economic Development Authority recently approved a five-year option of up to 30 acres to Avangrid Renewables to build an electrical substation in the city.