WSP
Project Submission:
Offshore Wind Cable Corridor Constraints Assessment
WSP USA’s Offshore Wind Cable Corridor Constraints Assessment supports NYSERDA’s goal to develop an understanding of the constraints of offshore wind cables and how to address these constraints in order to achieve New York’s goal of 9 GW of offshore wind by 2035.
The Assessment analyzes existing data and information relating to cable route constraints and challenges and provides a broad, non-project specific evaluation that will help facilitate regulatory decisions for siting, installation, and operation of undersea and overland cable corridors that could be brought to New York’s power grid. Overarching goals of the Assessment were:
- Document and increase the understanding of environmental, technical, and stakeholder constraints, as well as opportunities, concerns, impacts, and risks of potential undersea and overland cable corridors and associated landings; and
- Inform potential future policy actions that maximize the benefits of offshore wind and minimize conflicts and impacts in a timeframe to support achieving the mandated 9 GW of offshore wind by 2035.
To achieve New York’s mandated GW goals, the Assessment recommends that future offshore wind cable sitings incorporate accepted siting principles based on Cable Working Group (CWG) guidance and offshore wind industry experience. Siting principles support installing multiple cables and minimizing the use of space and impacts on environmental, cultural, and social resources. Opportunities to minimize impacts include collocating cables, considering reuse of abandoned infrastructure, and using mitigation strategies to offset the losses associated with impacts.
