After just 11 months of construction on its “sea2shore: The Renewable Link” project, National Grid announced that it is now officially delivering electricity generated by the offshore Block Island Wind Farm to the electricity grid in Rhode Island and to customers – a first-in-the-nation milestone. Beginning in January 2016, National Grid oversaw construction of the majority of the infrastructure needed to connect the wind farm to the electric system on mainland Rhode Island. The company will continue to own and maintain the infrastructure, which includes approximately 20 miles of submarine cable, five miles of underground cable, and two new substations (one on Block Island and one in Narragansett). “We’re really a leader in renewables and National Grid has been a great partner for us at every step of the way,” said R.I. Governor Gina Raimondo. “We’re moving ourselves to a more resilient, sustainable, cleaner, more affordable energy source, and that’s a win for everybody.” “National Grid has significant experience with submarine cable projects and has completed several others in the past, but connecting to the country’s first offshore wind farm has made it a unique experience for everyone involved,” said Timothy F. Horan, president and COO of National Grid in Rhode Island. “We are incredibly grateful to the project team, the state of Rhode Island, and all of our partners who helped make this possible, and to the residents, business owners, and community leaders of Block Island, Narragansett and South Kingstown who showed great patience and collaboration as we worked to make this historic effort a reality.” “This is an historic achievement for our country, our customers and our company,” said Rudy Wynter, president and COO of National Grid’s FERC-Regulated Businesses. “We know that transmission is the key to unlocking and delivering the large amounts of renewable power our region needs to meet its clean energy goals, and we look forward to other developing projects that will support that endeavor.” The Block Island Wind Farm is expected to supply approximately 30 megawatts of electricity, more than enough to meet Block Island’s entire current demand of 3 to 4 MW. The excess will be re-directed to mainland Rhode Island via the submarine cable running between Block Island and the town of Narragansett. National Grid is a world leader in the installation of submarine cables and transmission interconnectors that deliver large amounts of renewable energy to densely populated areas. Its two cables that serve the island of Nantucket enabled that community to virtually eliminate reliance on dirty, unreliable diesel generators for power. National Grid also built, operates and jointly owns an interconnector that delivers up to 2,000 MW of Canadian hydropower to New England. National Grid’s UK business jointly developed, owns and operates interconnectors to France and the Netherlands and is developing proposals for additional projects that would interconnect with other European countries. American Wind Energy Association “The importance of seeing the Block Island Wind Farm come online to produce power cannot be overstated for the residents of Rhode Island or the nation. This is more than a ribbon cutting; it is the dawn of an entirely new source of homegrown U.S. energy. Paired with transmission infrastructure, American offshore wind can deliver vast amounts of clean energy directly to the nation’s largest population centers. In doing so, we can create jobs for generations, bring opportunities for American workers that are currently only available overseas, rehabilitate aging port and highway infrastructure, and help make America energy independent” - Nancy Sopko, Manager, Advocacy and Federal Legislative Affairs, AWEA CERES "We commend National Grid for recognizing the critical role that offshore wind can play in tackling the climate challenge and investing capital in the new infrastructure needed to make the clean energy economy a reality” - Dan Bakal, CERES Director of Electric Power New England Clean Energy Council "NECEC applauds National Grid for its contribution to delivering the clean energy generated by the nation’s first offshore wind project – the Block Island Wind Farm – to customers,” "Offshore wind will play a critical role in advancing the clean energy economy of the Northeast, and National Grid is providing the connection vital to that advancement” - NECEC President Peter Rothstein WIRES “The hallmark of the modern electric system is deployment of diverse sources of electricity and advanced technology. The age of offshore wind is just starting. A more robust and integrated transmission network will enable clean wind power from projects like Sea2Shore to be provided more reliably and cost effectively to consumers” - Jim Hoecker, former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Counsel to WIRES, an international business group that promotes energy infrastructure investment