OREANDA-NEWS. Alstom announced it has received formal notice to proceed (NTP) from developers of the Deepwater Wind project, which will feature five Alstom Haliade 150 6-MW offshore wind turbines and is poised to become America’s first commercial offshore wind farm.

Deepwater Wind Block Island, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deepwater Wind, recently announced it has fully financed the Block Island Wind Farm, reaching financial close.

“This is a major milestone and the confirmation that this project, the first commercial offshore project in the United States for Alstom, will now materialize ” said Yves Rannou, Senior Vice President Wind for Alstom.

“Securing final financing for this ambitious project is an exceptional achievement for Deepwater Wind,” said Anders Soe-Jensen, Vice President Alstom Wind Offshore. “We believe this project will highlight both the commercial and technological viability of offshore wind in the US and we are proud to be part of the team making it happen.  This is the start of a new chapter in sustainable energy for the US.”

Wind turbine, foundation and electrical interface engineering is advancing on schedule to meet Deepwater Wind’s project specifications, including installation of the five foundations during summer 2015. Located about three miles off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island, the Block Island Wind Farm is scheduled for commercial service in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Alstom and Deepwater Wind announced a contract in February 2014. The NTP represents final contractual authorization for Alstom to proceed on engineering and manufacturing.

Alstom will supply, install and commission the five Haliade 150 turbines for the project and provide 15 years of operations and maintenance support.  The turbines, capable of producing approximately 125,000 MWh of electricity annually, will provide about 90 percent of Block Island’s power needs.

The Haliade™ 150-6 MW wind turbine operates without any gearbox (using direct-drive), thanks to a permanent-magnet generator. The machine features Alstom’s Pure Torque® design which protects the generator by diverting unwanted mechanical stress towards the tower, thereby optimizing performance and reliability. Its 150-metre diameter rotor provides an energy yield that is 15 percent better than existing offshore turbines, supporting the effort to drive down the cost of energy from offshore wind.