The contract with Baryonyx Corporation has been approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Atkins project manager Angela Bulger said: “This is the first offshore wind-farm project proposed in the Gulf of Mexico that has progressed to the point of seeking Federal construction permits—and the first for which an EIS will be prepared. Through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, a broad range of environmental factors will be thoroughly evaluated.”
Baryonyx cited Atkins’ clear understanding of NEPA compliance requirements and its experience with the USACE as primary reasons for selecting Atkins over the six other firms that had bid on the contract.
Cecilia Green, energy integration director for Atkins’ North American business, said: “This is an opportunity for Atkins to build on the strength of other offshore wind-farm consulting contracts we have won in the UK and France.”
Baryonyx anticipates building two wind farms that will be sited approximately 8km and 16km offshore from Port Isabel, Texas. Each farm is expected to generate from 900MW to 1,000MW of power. Upon completion, the anticipated 2GW of power will be delivered into the existing Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) power-transmission grid, primarily during hours of peak electricity demand.
The EIS is expected to be completed over a two- to three-year period. The NEPA process is designed to include multiple opportunities for comment by members of the public and other interested parties.
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