The nation’s first offshore wind farm is officially connected to the electric grid, Deepwater Wind announced today.
Regional electric grid operator ISO New England and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council have both cleared the Block Island Wind Farm to go online.
During the test phase, the wind turbines produced more than one gigawatt-hour of electricity and performed well even in harsh ocean weather conditions, said Deepwater Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski.
But the project wasn’t without glitches. During assembly of the turbines in France, a technician left a 6-inch drill bit inside one of the generators. General Electric acquired French manufacturer Alstom, the company Deepwater Wind originally contracted to supply the wind turbines.
A spokeswoman for Deepwater Wind said GE is repairing the turbine, which the companies expect to be up and running in January.