A Giant Drill Near a Hamptons Beach Marks Offshore Wind’s Arrival in the US
Construction to link Long Island with turbines 35 miles off its coast is a long-awaited milestone for the industry and clean energy.
Construction near a lift boat, top center, in Wainscott, New York, on Dec. 1. The South Fork wind farm off eastern Long Island should start generating power in late 2023.
Photographer: Johnny Milano/BloombergA drill as tall as a house stands on the blustery shore of the Atlantic Ocean, digging a tunnel deep under an exclusive New York beach. Soon workers will pull a cable through the sand to carry electricity from what is poised to be the first big offshore wind farm completed in US waters.
After more than a decade of stops, starts and high-profile failures, construction of a massive new US power source meant to displace planet-warming fossil fuels has finally begun at a turbulent time for the industry.