Ørsted Completes First Phase Of Building Offshore Wind Staging Center At Tradepoint Atlantic In Sparrows Point
SPARROWS POINT, Md. (WJZ) -- Ørsted announced Wednesday it successfully completed the initial phases of Maryland's first offshore wind staging area center at Tradepoint Atlantic in Baltimore County.
Ørsted completed the $13.2 million port infrastructure upgrades need to handle offshore wind components such as wind turbine blades, foundations and towers.
Now they are working to prepare for the second phase, which is developing an additional 50 acres of land to store and assemble components of the off shore wind farm. They will also partner with a Maryland steel manufacturing company.
"Tradepoint Atlantic is a world-class Maryland asset with a storied legacy of serving the needs of the United States and the world," said Governor Larry Hogan. "This Baltimore institution is once again positioned to serve as a critical piece in supporting our country's clean and renewable energy transformation for generations to come. Now is the time to invest in the kind of infrastructure that supports the development of new industries—like offshore wind—and the creation of thousands of new jobs. Ørsted has an established track record as the global leader in this noble effort, and we're proud to call them a partner in achieving our climate and renewable energy goals."
The wind farm will create 1,400 jobs in Maryland, including 913 jobs in development and construction and 484 jobs during the operation.
"Wind energy is essential if we want to move our country away from dirty fossil fuels and create quality jobs in the process," Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger said. "This project, specifically, will provide enough clean energy to power 35,000 Maryland homes and support 1,400 jobs in a community still reeling from the closure of Bethlehem Steel years ago. I congratulate Ørsted, Tradepoint Atlantic and all of their partners for completing this phase and setting Maryland on a course to be the country's premier destination for offshore wind staging and manufacturing."
The Skipjack Wind Farm was awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits by the Maryland Public Service Commission in 2017 and will generate enough clean energy to power 35,000 homes in the region.
Ørsted plans to make $200 million in capital investments in Maryland.
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