Frequently Asked Questions
On the Proposed Long Island Offshore

The siting of the Wind Park at the proposed location was based on numerous engineering and environmental factors. The wind turbine generators have been arranged in a cluster formation, which minimizes the expanse of the visual profile to Jones Beach and Robert Moses State Parks. Visual simulations of the Project have been prepared that represent views from the Central Mall at Jones Beach State Park, Gilgo Beach, Cedar Beach Park and Robert Moses State Park. These simulations were prepared for high-visibility conditions and do not include any visibility degradation due to the atmosphere and ocean interaction that often results in haze and fog. Under many weather conditions (clouds, fog, haze, etc.) the Project would be much less visible than indicated in the simulations. These simulations have been presented in the ACOE Application (Sheets 14, 16, 18 and 20 of 28) and many public forums. They are also available here: www.lipower.org/cei/offshore.study.html

The Project, as part of the environmental review and permitting processes, will perform a detailed assessment of visual impacts using guidance provided in the ACOE Visual Resources Assessment Procedure and NYSDEC visual policy (DEP-00-2). As part of the assessment, measures to mitigate and reduce visual impacts, such as the color of the wind turbine structures, and the lighting design, will be examined.

LIPA currently has no other plans or other intentions to expand this facility or to build additional offshore wind parks in the future. In addition, both the cable from the Wind Park to the Sterling Substation and the substation itself are equipped to accept a maximum of 140 MW of new electricity generation from the wind park.

LIPA undertook a comprehensive regional siting analysis of offshore areas around Long Island that analyzed a number of determinant factors that resulted in a recommended area within which the Project should be located. This information can be found on LIPA’s website (www.lipower.org/cei/offhsore.study.html) which summarizes the siting criteria used in the development of the recommended area for this Project and the input received by various federal, state, and local agencies as well as interested organizations. The siting of the Wind Park at the proposed location and within the recommended area was based on numerous technical and environmental factors (refer to discussion of Wind Park Siting in the ACOE Application, Environmental Questionnaire). The Wind Park site selection included the following considerations:

• Site within the 52-nautical square mile recommended area identified by the feasibility study,
• Avoid water depths greater than 70 feet,
• Ensure average wind speeds greater than 18 miles per hour,
• Avoid/minimize offshore areas of environmental concern, e.g., areas of high avian concentrations, shipwrecks, Atlantic Right Whale migration routes, etc.
• Reduced visibility exposure to large populated areas,
• Reduced visible profile of the project, i.e., cluster design, avoid existing seabed infrastructure e.g. cables, pipelines, etc.
• Minimize the cable distance to a suitable interconnection substation point, and
• Avoid Nantucket to Ambrose Light shipping lanes into the Port of New York.

The wind turbine generator cluster cannot be moved further offshore without encroachment into major shipping lanes to the Port of New York. The shipping lane is approximately 1.6 miles from the farthest offshore turbine. The Project’s placement provides a buffer zone between the Wind Park and these shipping lanes as recommended by the Coast Guard.

The water depth in the Wind Park area ranges from approximately 50 to 60 feet. deep. The closest wind turbines will be 3.6 miles from the nearest shoreline. Water depths increase east of the Wind Park area.

The LIPA RFP required the park to produce an energy output of 100 – 140 MW. The Project’s design is intended to maximize that output and provide Long Island with as much clean energy as allowable at the most cost effective price. As currently designed the Project will utilize the largest, commercially available turbines available allowing the park to be constructed using only 40 turbines. Each will produce a maximum of 3.6 MW. The maximum size of commercially available wind turbines is 3.6 MW, while there are larger turbines under development they will not be commercially available prior to construction of the Wind Park. They are also larger in size and would therefore increase the visibility from shore.

Turbines with less megawatt output would increase the number of turbines needed for the Wind Park. As stated LIPA’s RFP required a minimum of 100 MW of production to a maximum of 140 MW total project output. More turbines and foundations would mean increased visual and benthic impacts, as well as require greater transmission distances which increase interconnection cable costs, and ultimately total project costs.