Vineyard Wind hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony for Bridgeport HQ

Gov. Ned Lamont and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim were among those attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday at the headquarters of Vineyard Wind. The office at 350 Fairfield Ave. will serve as the base of operations for more than a dozen employees.

Among those joining Gov. Ned Lamont (far right) at the ceremony were Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim (second from left) and Vineyard Wind CEO Lars T. Pedersen (behind Ganim).

Vineyard Wind — a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of Avangrid Inc., and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners — recently announced that Barnum Landing, a 15-acre parcel located at 525 Seaview Ave., will be used during the construction phase of the Park City Wind (PCW) project, which will include storage and assembly of the transition pieces, the portion of the turbine that anchors the body of the machines to the steel foundation.

Once construction is completed, Vineyard Wind intends to use 3 acres of the port site for an operations and maintenance hub that will support local jobs for the 20-plus year lifespan of the project.

“Our state is on the cusp of being a national leader in offshore wind,” Lamont remarked, “and this public-private partnership is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship. This project brings the best to Bridgeport — good paying jobs, clean energy, and a groundbreaking industry, and I am proud to be a part of this grand opening.”

“Today marks another important milestone as we work to bring the largest procurement of clean and affordable energy in Connecticut”™s history to the state,” said Lars T. Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “Between the teams that will work out of these offices and the many construction jobs at Barnum Landing, we are taking concrete steps toward making Bridgeport a hub for this new and growing industry,

“(We) look forward to many years of working together as we launch an industry that will not only reduce harmful carbon pollution but also create jobs and economic development in the city and the region,” Pedersen added.

The PCW project was selected by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in December of 2019 to provide 804 megawatts of clean, affordable and reliable energy to the state.

Park City Wind, which will provide roughly 14% of the state”™s electricity supply, represents the largest purchase of renewable energy in state history and is expected to include an estimated $890 million in direct economic development in Connecticut and support 2,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) job years.