Maryland-based US Wind, Inc. hosted an informational session for major offshore wind supply chain companies in Salisbury, Maryland on Monday, January 9. This was the third in a series of meetings that US Wind has led, dedicated to building business partnerships and bringing industry leaders to Maryland. In two previous meetings, US Wind partnered with Tradepoint Atlantic, the firm overseeing the 3,100-acre redevelopment of the former Sparrows Point steel mill, at TPA’s world-class Port of Baltimore facility.
US Wind plans to build the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind power project off the coast of Ocean City.
US Wind plans to build the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind power project off the coast of Ocean City. This 750 MW project would construct up to 187 turbines and produce power for more than 500,000 homes.
The latest meeting highlighted opportunities on Maryland’s Easter Shore, including plans for an offshore wind operations and maintenance facility to be established in Ocean City, Md. US Wind, which is headquartered in Baltimore, estimates that the facility will support dozens of jobs for at least 25 years.
Salisbury Mayor Jake Day was among the attendees, along with members of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce. Other participants included business leaders representing turbine, electrical cable and steel manufacturing, vessel construction and local marine support services companies. Agency representatives from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) also addressed the meeting.
“I’m very excited about the economic potential that the offshore wind industry can bring to Maryland,” said Mayor Day. “As a college town and a vibrant economic hub of the Eastern Shore, Salisbury is a great place for the industry to do business.”
US Wind officials say they want to make Maryland the epicenter of the emerging industry and the East Coast hub for offshore wind economic activity. The company’s economic projections show that US Wind’s Maryland project alone will create almost 5,000 total well-paying construction and skilled manufacturing jobs and almost 100 long-term operations and maintenance careers on the Eastern Shore.
US Wind is one of two developers whose applications for a Maryland offshore wind farm are being considered by the Public Service Commission (PSC) during a 180-day period, which began on November 28. All applications to the PSC are required to meet criteria spelled out in the 2013 Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act. US Wind’s application was determined to be administratively complete by the Public Service Commission and to have met all ratepayers’ safeguard criteria.
Filed Under: Offshore wind
