About

Project Background

Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind has been a decade in the making. The 2.6-gigawatt offshore wind energy project will consist of 176 wind turbines, three offshore substations, undersea cables and new onshore transmission infrastructure to deliver emissions-free wind power to homes and businesses.

Community Engagement

To identify transmission route options from Naval Air Station Oceana to Fentress Substation, Dominion Energy conducted a study that included the Hampton Roads region and extensive engagement with the community.

With this study, we focused on the locations of neighborhoods, public use and gathering spots, schools, churches and parks, and important natural resources such as wetlands and historical and archaeological sites. We also evaluated existing rights-of-way and opportunities to co-locate with other infrastructure, such as existing transmission lines, roads and railways.

To better understand the community’s needs and how best to bring the clean, sustainable energy onshore to homes and businesses, we held virtual and in-person public meetings and conducted numerous individual and small group meetings, topic-specific workshops and roundtables in 2021. In addition, we consulted with a local historian and directly engaged historically underrepresented communities and Native American tribes. We also deployed an online interactive tool called GeoVoice, which provided community members the opportunity to review the route options and share feedback.

Woman reviewing boards at community engagement meeting

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As a result of community involvement and input, Dominion Energy identified a proposed transmission line route and several alternatives and filed a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) on November 5, 2021. After nine months of careful review, the SCC selected the transmission line route that will support the CVOW project.

In September and October 2023, we hosted five pre-construction open houses in advance of onshore construction activities beginning in November 2023. We continue to meet with the community to share project progress and answer questions from neighbors.

Onshore Transmission Line Route

Of the options considered by the State Corporation Commission, the proposed and approved onshore transmission line route maximizes the use of publicly owned land and existing rights-of-way. It also minimizes, to the greatest extent possible, impacts to private property, the community, the environment, and historical and cultural resources.

The route begins at State Military Reservation, where the undersea cables supporting the offshore wind turbines come ashore. The route then proceeds to Naval Air Station Oceana. Once there, it continues overhead. It then continues toward Dam Neck Road, connecting with an existing transmission right-of-way near the Castleton neighborhood.

The route proceeds west, overlapping the former Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt roadway project until just past Princess Anne Road. It then moves southwest, crossing Salem Road and the Intracoastal Waterway in Chesapeake. The route turns south toward Battlefield Golf Course before heading west into Fentress Substation, which will be expanded to accommodate the new equipment needed to support the additional transmission lines that will connect offshore wind energy to the broader electric grid.

Offshore Lease Area and Construction

The offshore project components are located in federal waters in the project lease area and in the Commonwealth of Virginia waters within three miles of shore.

The offshore wind lease area was identified through an intergovernmental task force created by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in 2009. It was selected only after extensive collaboration between the Commonwealth and stakeholders to avoid existing uses of the area, including ecological habitats, military training areas, marine vessel traffic, dredge disposal sites and other areas of concern.

Offshore construction work for CVOW commenced in February 2024 with the relocation of Munitions of Explosive Concern (MECs). Throughout 2024, work began on monopile foundation installation, subsea cable installation activities and transition piece installation.

Offshore components of CVOW will consist of

176 14.7-megawatt Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs) and associated monopile foundations
Three Offshore Substations (OSS)
Approximately 231 miles of total length of Inter-Array Cables (IACs)
Approximately 350 miles of nine buried submarine high-voltage alternating-current Offshore Export Cables (OECs), connecting the OSSs to shore at State Military Reservation.