STATE PIER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

Project Details

The Connecticut Port Authority and State of Connecticut, together with the offshore wind development joint venture of Ørsted and Eversource, are investing $255.5 million to redevelop the Authority’s State Pier Terminal in the Port of New London. Ørsted and Eversource have contributed $77.5 million to the project.

The terminal upgrades will be substantially completed by spring 2023, at which point terminal operator Gateway will resume port operations and begin receiving offshore wind component deliveries.

As a result of this combined investment in the terminal, Connecticut is at the forefront of the new American offshore wind industry. The State Pier Terminal will be the first operational U.S.-based heavy-lift marine terminal that will accommodate offshore wind towers, nacelles and blades, as well as other maritime cargoes.

Three offshore wind projects commissioned by Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island – a total of approximately 160 turbines, with an output of 1,760 MW (enough to power over 1 million homes) – are scheduled for assembly and delivery from New London. The first of these projects is scheduled for summer of 2023.

Project Highlights

State-sponsored studies for decades have recommended improvements to the terminal to ensure it serves as a significant driver of the state’s maritime economy. These studies also recommended that improvements be funded through a public-private partnership with a long-term lessee serving as a base of revenue generation. That exact scenario is now in place.
The infrastructure upgrades will transform State Pier into a modern, heavy-lift-capable marine terminal that will meet the requirements of the offshore wind industry and make the site available for a wider range of traditional cargo than ever before.
The upgrades include the creation of two heavy-lift platforms, each capable of handling loads of 5,000 pounds per square foot (psf). The rest of the terminal’s load bearing capacity has been enhanced to 3,000psf.
The improvements will benefit the port’s long-term growth by increasing the terminal’s capacity to accommodate heavy-lift cargo for years to come while maintaining its freight rail link.
Following the completion of infrastructure upgrades, Ørsted and Eversource will enter into a ten-year lease agreement, which will allow them to use State Pier terminal for wind turbine generator pre-assembly and staging.
Three offshore wind projects, totaling more than 1,760MW, are already scheduled to be delivered from State Pier Terminal in New London:
- South Fork Wind will provide 132 MW of clean, sustainable energy to power 70,000 homes on the South Fork of Long Island, New York. South Fork Wind is scheduled to be operational in 2023;
- Revolution Wind (304MW, State of Connecticut and 400MW, State of Rhode Island) will provide 704 MW of clean, sustainable energy to power 350,000 homes. Revolution Wind is scheduled to be operational in 2025; and
- Sunrise Wind (924 MW, State of New York) will provide 924 MW of clean, sustainable energy to power nearly 600,000 homes. Sunrise Wind is scheduled to be operational in 2025.
The first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel, Dominion’s Charybdis, is expected to be sea ready in late-2023 and will deploy first out of State Pier Terminal to support construction of Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind.
When not supporting offshore wind staging and assembly operations, the terminal will be marketed to other commercial customers for maximum heavy-lift cargo utilization.

Vision Statement

It is the goal of the Connecticut Port Authority to make generational improvements to transform the State Pier in New London into a state-of-the-art heavy-lift capable port facility that will accommodate a wide variety of cargoes, including wind turbine generator staging and assembly. The proposed State Pier infrastructure improvements are being designed to address previously identified facility shortcomings, and enhance the State Pier facility and site conditions to accommodate future cargo needs and capitalize on opportunities for the State of Connecticut.

“I was asked by the White House to come here today because y'all have been doing amazing things here in Connecticut. The President has this goal of getting to 100% clean electricity by 2035. The reason why the President was fascinated by what you are doing is because we want to replicate this."

Jennifer Granholm

U.S. Secretary of Energy

"Economic growth has remained a top priority throughout our administration, and this agreement paves the way for a surge in activity in New London and Eastern Connecticut that will cement the state’s position as a leader in the industry. This new partnership achieves the goal of job growth in a critical part of our state, while making investments in clean energy, showing the world, yet again, that Connecticut will be a leader in addressing climate change."

Governor Ned Lamont

Governor of Connecticut

"In addition to the hundreds of well-paying, local jobs that will be created to construct our wind projects out of State Pier, we have also committed millions in local community investments as part of our Revolution Wind project and we will be partnering with local companies to develop a local offshore wind supply chain. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the state, the Connecticut Port Authority, Gateway Terminal and other local partners to bring the offshore wind industry to Connecticut’s shores, advance our clean energy economy, and achieve our climate goals."

Joe Nolan

Eversource Energy
President & Chief Executive Officer

"It's one of our banner days when we celebrate New London being on the cutting edge of the new green economy that the Biden administration is bringing to the United States."

Michael Passero

Mayor of New London

"The future of State Pier is vital to the Connecticut Port Authority’s and the state’s success. This tremendous step forward will maximize the location and assets of State Pier, boosting the region’s economy in the process."

David Kooris

Chair of the CPA

"Like our partner in the State of Connecticut, both Ørsted and Eversource believe taking on climate change is imperative, and offshore wind is one of the solutions that will not only help Connecticut shift away from fossil fuels but also drive significant economic development and local community investment. We are confident that the revitalization of State Pier will put New London on the map for the offshore wind industry, attracting manufacturers and suppliers to choose the New London region, bringing along economic benefits and growth. We salute Governor Lamont and the state for all their hard work to finalize the agreement and launching Connecticut’s next great maritime industry."

David Hardy

Ørsted America's Executive Vice President & CEO

"To my colleagues in the United States Senate, if you want to see the future of energy in this country, come here, come to New London, come to the State Pier. This is the future of energy in the United States of America."

Richard Blumenthal

U.S. Senator

“This is the Holy Grail of public policy. Offshore wind gets you tons of jobs in the short term, it gets you tons of local economic development in the long run, it makes the country more secure and it helps save the planet. What other investment gets you all of that all at once?”

Chris Murphy

U.S. Senator

"As the terminal operator of State Pier, Gateway is focused on maximizing port activity. Our partnership with the State of Connecticut, Ørsted, and Eversource to transform State Pier into an offshore wind assembly hub will unlock an unparalleled growth opportunity for New London and its surrounding communities. We expect a meaningful increase in vessel traffic, which will lead to job creation and an increase in revenue for both the Connecticut Port Authority and the City of New London. Aside from capitalizing on the high-growth offshore wind industry, State Pier will be better positioned to handle conventional cargo. We appreciate the hard work of Governor Lamont and his team to finalize the tri-party partnership and believe that the Lamont administration’s leadership in redeveloping State Pier will have a lasting impact on the Connecticut economy for generations to come."

Matthew Satnick and Philippe De Montigny

co-CEOs of Enstructure, Gateway’s parent company