Nation's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Powers Virginia Homes

A towering wind turbine 27 miles off Virginia Beach began spinning Monday, sending the first surge of clean electricity from what will become America's largest offshore wind farm.

Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project hit a major milestone when its first fully completed turbine connected to the regional power grid. The single turbine generates just under 15 megawatts, enough to power about 3,675 homes through undersea cables that link to Virginia Beach's shore.

The $11 billion project stretches across ocean waters from 27 to 44 miles offshore. Construction crews have already installed all 176 foundation pieces and are more than 70% done with the entire build.

By early next year, the complete wind farm will produce 2.6 gigawatts of electricity. That's enough clean power to serve 660,000 homes across the fastest-growing energy market in the country.

The achievement comes after the project survived a significant challenge. In December, the U.S. Interior Department issued a stop-work order citing national security concerns, forcing construction to halt just before Christmas.

Dominion sued, and a federal judge in Norfolk ruled in January that work could restart. The monthlong pause cost the company nearly $230 million in storage fees, penalties, and idle equipment, but crews got back to building.

The Ripple Effect

Virginia's power demands are surging thanks to explosive economic growth, the world's largest data center market, and major military installations. This wind farm directly addresses that need with homegrown clean energy.

The project has been more than a decade in the making. Dominion secured the federal lease back in 2013 for $1.7 million and installed two pilot turbines in 2020 to test the technology. Those smaller turbines have been quietly generating power for years.

Each new turbine towers over the ocean with steel foundations reaching more than 200 feet underwater. Bright yellow connection pieces link those foundations to the massive blade assemblies that capture wind energy and convert it to electricity.

Several more turbines will come online in the coming weeks as construction continues. The region will watch its clean energy capacity grow steadily through 2027.

America now has its largest commercial offshore wind farm spinning into action, proving clean energy can scale to meet the needs of millions.