Anbaric Development Partners has concluded the second set of oceanographic survey activities for its Boardwalk Power Link (BPL) project which will connect offshore wind energy to New Jersey’s onshore grid.
Led by ESS Group in concert with Ocean Surveys, the two sets of surveys looked specifically at geological seabed conditions for the planned subsea cable route and collector platforms located off the New Jersey coastline.
These subsurface geological investigations consisted of advancing 10-foot long vibracores into the seabed along the proposed route. Seabed cores and sediment samples were collected for lab analysis of bulk chemical and physical characteristics as well as thermal resistivity sampling for cable rating and design assessments.
ESS conducted a comprehensive benthic habitat and EFH analysis by acquiring seabed surface benthic grabs within and along the planned cable route corridor.
All geological sampling and testing protocols were conducted via Sediment Sampling Plan and have been approved by the NJDEP Office of Dredging and Sediment Technology via the Project’s Sediment Sampling and Analysis Plan.
Results are expected to be provided to respective regulatory review agencies within the next few months.
“Geological seabed surveys are an important next step in our development of offshore wind projects in New Jersey,” said Janice Fuller , President Mid-Atlantic of Anbaric.
“Transmission development is critical to achieving New Jersey’s vision of 7500 MW of offshore wind by 2030. Anbaric looks forward to furthering our development work in New Jersey as we prepare to participate in New Jersey’s nation-leading transmission solicitation.”
BPL is a 1,200 MW HVDC line connecting offshore wind energy produced off the coast of New Jersey and coming onshore in Monmouth County.
The energy will travel via buried HVDC cable, via a route that lies 90% in the public right-of-way, to a converter station to be built directly adjacent to the Deans 500KV Substation located in South Brunswick.