America's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Powers Up in Virginia

America's largest offshore wind farm just came to life off the coast of Virginia Beach, sending its first waves of clean electricity to homes across the state.

Dominion Energy switched on the first commercial turbine of its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project Monday. The single turbine is already producing 14.7 megawatts of power through underwater cables connected to the grid.

This moment arrives after years of planning and some serious hurdles. The project faced a federal stop-work order in December over national security concerns, adding millions in costs and testing everyone's patience.

But the turbines are spinning now. Two permanent structures stand complete, with a third under construction and more coming throughout 2026.

The numbers tell an impressive story. The project sits 70% complete with 176 monopiles built and 157 transition pieces installed. When finished in early 2027, the farm will generate 2.6 gigawatts of energy.

That's enough to keep the lights on in 660,000 Virginia homes.

The Ripple Effect

This project is creating real jobs for Virginians while building the state's clean energy economy from the ground up. Virginia's congressional delegation celebrated the milestone together, a rare moment of bipartisan agreement.

Republican Representative Jen Kiggans highlighted how domestic clean energy strengthens military infrastructure. Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, along with Representative Bobby Scott, praised the job creation and economic growth.

The project does come with a hefty price tag of $11.5 billion, up from the original $9.8 billion estimate. Recent tariffs added $137 million, and the December work stoppage tacked on another $228 million.

Virginia customers will pay 50% of costs up to $11.3 billion. Dominion and its equity partner Stonepeak cover everything beyond that threshold, up to $13.7 billion.

Two pilot turbines have been generating power since 2020, proving the technology works. Now the real buildout begins, with turbines coming online gradually through the rest of the year.

The transmission station at Virginia Beach's State Military Reservation receives all the power, distributing it across the grid to homes and businesses throughout the region.

HOPEFUL CLOSE: America's clean energy future is rising from the Atlantic, one massive turbine at a time.