Virginia, and more specifically Chesapeake, is set to become the home of the first offshore wind cable manufacturer in the United States, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott announced yesterday.
LS GreenLink USA is investing $681 million to build a facility to produce high-voltage subsea cables used for offshore wind farms. Those cables are designed to optimize bulk clean power transmission, the company said.
A February 20 letter signed by nine members of congress calling on the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide financial support for the project noted that work is underway on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project – a 2.6 gigawatt commercial offshore wind farm that is expected to power over 650,000 homes in the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, there is a 7-year global backlog for the type of subsea cable LS GreenLink will produce, the members of congress wrote.
“By 2028, demand for these cables from offshore wind projects across the country is expected to double expected domestic production capability. This facility would help close this gap,” they added.
In April, the DOE awarded LS GreenLink over $99,000 in investment credits helping to bring this project to fruition.
The Chesapeake facility is slated to be 750,000-sq.-ft., will be housed on approximately 100 acres of brownfield, and is supposed to create over 330 full-time jobs, according to Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Boosting Virginia’s position
Government leaders are applauding, not only the jobs, but also the position Virginia will have in the clean energy sector.
“This transformative project not only strengthens our local economy, but also solidifies Chesapeake’s status in the offshore wind manufacturing industry, said Chesapeake Mayor Rick West. “The significant job creation and investment from LS Greenlink are a testament to our city’s commitment to clean energy projects.”
“Hampton Roads is leading the way in offshore wind production,” said Scott. “Their investment in this new facility in Chesapeake will play a key role in building the domestic green energy supply chain. This investment in Hampton Roads is bringing high-paying jobs to our local economy and boosting our community’s transition towards clean, affordable energy.”
Younkin stated, “LS GreenLink’s investment in Virginia will showcase the Commonwealth as a leader in offshore wind industry manufacturing,”
LS GreenLink is a company under the South Korean conglomerate LS Corp. West also expressed optimism that this deal will be meaningful in advancing Chesapeake’s international relations.
“We are also excited about our new partnership with South Korea and believe that this project will serve as a gateway to more collaborative opportunities between the great City of Chesapeake and other South Korean companies,” he said.
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