Decades after Europe, turning blades send first commercial offshore wind power onto US grid

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT
Associated Press

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — Off the coast of eastern Long Island, an 800-foot tall turbine has begun sending electricity onto the U.S. grid from what’s set to be the country’s first commercial offshore wind farm. It’s a milestone many years in the making and at the same time a modest advance in what experts say needs to be a major buildout of this type of clean electricity to address climate change. Danish wind energy developer Ørsted and the utility Eversource announced Wednesday the first power from what will be a 12-turbine wind farm called South Fork Wind, 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point, New York. By early next year, it will be able to generate 132 megawatts to power more than 70,000 homes.