Orsted proposes to build a wind farm 15 miles off the South Jersey coast. This photo shows the turbines for an Orsted project overseas. (Photo credit Orsted)
By MADDY VITALE
The public will hear from Orsted and PSEG representatives in a live-streamed meeting 7 p.m. Monday, March 7, when officials will explain the project and their intention to utilize an area of Ocean City for an underground transmission line.
Each of the 99 wind turbines proposed in the project, called Ocean Wind, are roughly 900 feet tall and would stretch down the coast from Atlantic City to Stone Harbor about 15 miles offshore, passing by Ocean City in the process.
The company filed a petition on Feb. 2 with the state Board of Public Utilities to utilize an area of Ocean City to install a transmission line.
Cape May County and Ocean City officials told OCNJDaily.com on Feb. 3 that they are reviewing the petition.
The project is in the planning and permitting phase and is slated for completion by 2024.
On Monday, Cape May County Administrator Kevin Lare said, The county will have representation on the hearing March 7.
Lare noted that the county is continuing internal, deliberative discussions among the Board of County Commissioners.
Over the last couple of years since Orsted approached Ocean City about the transmission line, and hosted forums about the project in the resort, there have been opponents to the plan as well as proponents.
An audience listens to Orsted representatives during the last forum in Ocean City in November.
There have been concerns over what the project could mean for marine life, the fishing industry and if there will be bird strikes due to the turbines. Additionally, there are concerns that the wind farms will negatively affect real estate values, seasonal rentals, the tourist industry, drive up taxes, and increase the region's energy bills.
Some people have asked if there would be noise from the turbines that could be heard from land, while others asked if the structures would be visible on the horizon and from the shoreline.
Orsted representatives tout the project for its renewable clean energy. The project also could mean jobs in the area, both temporary and permanent.
The wind farm would be an 1,100-megawatt project that would create thousands of construction jobs and power over 500,000 homes, representatives have said.
Orsted wants to install a transmission line under the seabed and bring electricity onshore through a cable at the beach lots of 35th Street in Ocean City. The underground cable would travel west to Bay Avenue, north on Bay Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard, west across Peck Bay at Roosevelt Boulevard Bridge and then continue on to Route 9 to property near the former B.L. England Generating Station in Upper Township.
According to Orsted's news release about the Zoom meeting, the lands for the proposed transmission line through Ocean City are encumbered by state of New Jersey Green Acres restrictions. And Orsted, subsequently, would need approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey State House Commission, to proceed.
