On Long Island, advocates for the environment and green jobs gathered this week to celebrate South Fork Wind, the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S.
The tagline for the news conference was “Promises made, promises kept,” in reference to talking points about the project from the early planning stages that promised safe, clean, reliable energy and good-paying union jobs.
“What matters most is that it is now an operating asset, a true asset, serving Long Islanders,” said Carrie Meek Gallagher, CEO of the Long Island Power Authority.
“Our public reporting shows that South Fork Wind has been generating consistently and contributing meaningfully to our system,” she said, noting the 12-turbine wind farm 35 miles east of Montauk is performing better than expected, and proved crucial during this winter’s frequent low temperatures.
About 70,000 Long Island homes and businesses are powered by electricity from South Fork Wind, which first came online in December 2023 and became fully operational in 2024.
