South Fork Wind: A Long Island Success Story
By: Alicia Gené Artessa
We are thrilled to share the latest milestones and performance data from South Fork Wind (SFW), America’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm. Located 35 miles east of Montauk Point, this project is a testament to clean energy innovation, currently powering 70,000 homes across Long Island. SFW has outperformed expectations and is resulting in concrete benefits for Long Island residents.
While the offshore wind industry was new to the United States, now that we have real-time data from SFW, the proof that this industry works is here. Offshore wind is a reliable energy source and has helped drive down energy costs during the extremely cold winter we just endured.
Performance: Reliable and Dependable
In its first full year of operation, the 12-turbine wind farm has strongly performed, competing with traditional baseload generators like natural gas. While wind strength is seasonal—peaking in the winter months when New York's winds are strongest—these modern turbines generated power 99 percent of the time in 2025.[1]Also, because offshore wind peaks in the winter months, it acts as a great complement to other renewable energy sources, like solar, which is stronger in summer months.
It is imperative that New York continues diversifying its energy mix to include more renewables, especially offshore wind, to increase grid resilience and reliability, drive down costs for consumers, and provide a cleaner and healthier environment. As the State continues to invest in building new energy generation, it is important to remember the vital role offshore wind plays in powering downstate New York with clean, reliable energy.
By the Numbers:
Capacity: 132 Megawatts.
Peak Performance: Maximum power is achieved at wind speeds of approximately 30 mph.
Recent Success: The wind farm achieved a capacity factor of 46% across 2025, rising to 52% in January 2026, demonstrating its ability to provide significant, steady energy to the grid.
A Journey of Innovation
The road to clean energy began in 2017 when the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) first approved the project to meet the South Fork’s growing electricity needs. Following years of design and permitting, construction officially kicked off in early 2022.
Made in America
South Fork Wind isn't just about reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, offshore wind fuels a new domestic manufacturing and supply chain. The project created nearly 1,000 jobs across New York and four other states.
This "American-made" project features several industry firsts:
Substation: Built by Kiewit in Brownsville, Texas.
Support Vessel: The ECO Edison, the first American-made and -crewed service vessel, built in Houma, Louisiana.
Components: Export cables from South Carolina, foundations from Rhode Island, and turbines assembled in Connecticut.
What’s Next
With success proven, New York is looking bigger. Our next two offshore wind projects are under construction, set to power 1,000,000 homes and creating a new benchmark for reliability for downstate New York’s power grid.
For more detailed performance tables and project news, visit SouthForkWind.com.
1] See Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) CEO Report at https://www.lipower.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3.-March-25-2026-CEO-Report.pdf.
