Hartford, CT – Developers of Connecticut’s first offshore wind farm, Eversource and Ørsted (E&O), have announced their economic development commitments and community contributions as part of the Constitution Wind project bid, which was submitted to the state in late September in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) for offshore wind energy generation.
E&O says Constitution Wind’s economic development commitments will strategically invest in local port infrastructure for direct use by the offshore wind industry, renew the economically distressed city of New London, catalyze regional economic activity, including supply chain development, develop an offshore wind workforce from local skilled labor, and advance climate mitigation and resiliency.
If selected in the current RFP, Constitution Wind will make more than $100 million in direct financial commitments to benefit Connecticut families, workers, and communities, including:
- Eastern CT Small Business Loan Fund, Southeastern CT Enterprise Region (seCTer)
- CT Offshore Wind Scholarships for community college students
- Building Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship program, CT United Labor Agency
- Research and environmental monitoring, UConn Avery Point and Mystic Aquarium
- Energy efficiency improvements for low-income New London County residents, Thames Valley Community Action Agency
Eversource and Ørsted have also committed to invest $57.5 million for upgrades to New London State Pier, an underutilized state asset, to accommodate the industry and create a world-class offshore wind staging hub in Connecticut.
