On September 14, 2021, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and PSEG signed a lease for up to 78 years on land that will be the site of the New Jersey Wind Port in Salem County, New Jersey.[1] The Wind Port will provide a place for staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind along the East Coast. The location of the port is adjacent to PSEG’s nuclear generating site, which currently provides more than 90% of the state’s carbon-free electricity. The site of the Wind Port itself is an artificial island on the eastern shores of the Delaware River, southwest of the City of Salem. Due to its large footprint, lack of height restrictions, and easy access to wind farm lease areas, the Wind Port is one of only a few ports on the East Coast that can house offshore wind turbine marshaling and manufacturing.

New Jersey and federal officials broke ground on the Wind Port on September 9, 2021.[2] Major construction is set to begin in December 2021, and the port should be completed by the end of 2023. The estimated cost of the project is between $300 million and $400 million. According to NJEDA, the Wind Port could potentially create more than 1,500 manufacturing, assembly, and operations jobs, as well as hundreds of construction jobs. Offshore wind is part of Governor Phil Murphy’s (D) Energy Master Plan to achieve 100% percent clean energy by 2050. Under the Energy Master Plan, the state has set a target to produce 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy by 2035.

[1] https://www.njeda.com/njeda-and-pseg-sign-78-year-lease-for-the-new-jersey-wind-port-establishing-new-jersey-as-a-hub-for-the-clean-energy-economy/

[2] https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2021/09/10/officials-break-ground-on-nj-wind-energy-construction-port-280415