PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island — The offshore wind industry has been battered by setbacks. But there were signs of progress on the banks of the Providence River recently as workers loaded foundation components aboard a ship to be installed at a 65-turbine project off the coast here.
Revolution Wind is taking shape at a time when the industry is struggling with skyrocketing costs, a high-profile construction mishap at sea, and a presidential campaign featuring former President Donald Trump, an outspoken wind critic. Ørsted, the project’s developer, has installed 52 foundations 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island. The first turbine was put up in September.
Not everything has gone according to plan. Revolution Wind’s completion date was delayed until 2026 when Ørsted discovered contamination at the site of its onshore substation, located at a former military dump, forcing it to redesign its interconnection point with New England’s electric grid. The costly delay prompted Ørsted to write down the value of its project by more than $300 million.
“As you stand up any new industry, there’s going to be bumps in the road,” said Paul Murphy, a senior director at Ørsted, as he watched workers load foundation components in late August. “But if you look at the larger trajectory, I think there’s some fundamentally really positive things to focus on.”
