Vineyard Wind Partners With Sea Services North America

Press release from Vineyard Wind:

Aug. 2, 2021

Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), today announced that they’ve partnered with Sea Services North America to provide scouting support for survey vessels working on the Park City Wind project.

“Working with companies like Sea Services allows us to engage with local fishermen who know these waters and understand the fishing activity in the area,” said Crista Bank, Fisheries Liaison for Vineyard Wind. “More offshore work opportunities will develop over the lifespan of the project, and we know the commercial fishing industry has the potential to benefit from these opportunities. By taking this step, we are laying the groundwork for future collaborations.”

As part of the partnership with Vineyard Wind, Sea Services vessels will be providing scouting services for survey vessels to minimize the risk of entanglements with commercial fishing gear and other water-based equipment or obstacles. Scout vessels are deployed prior to a survey project and also accompany survey vessels during offshore work. These scout vessels will provide real-time data on the positions of potential risks to minimize survey disruptions, to protect the equipment of local fishermen and to log marine life sightings.

“Vineyard Wind recognizes the importance of building a strong relationship between offshore wind and commercial fishing,” said Gordon Videll, CEO of Sea Services North America. “With this partnership, they demonstrate a commitment to increasing opportunity and growth within both offshore wind and commercial fishing. I am thankful that Vineyard Wind recognizes that including our commercial fishermen is the key component to what has quickly become the industry best practices and look forward to a mutually beneficial coexistence moving forward.”

The Park City Wind project was selected by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in December of 2019 to provide 804 megawatts of clean, affordable and reliable energy to the state. Park City Wind, which will provide roughly 14% of the state’s electricity supply, represents the largest purchase of renewable energy in state history and is expected to include an estimated $890 million in direct economic development in Connecticut and support 2,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) job years.

This press release was produced by Vineyard Wind. The views expressed here are the author's own.