The Vineyard Wind Offshore Wind Farm south of Nantucket, Mass., is the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm. When complete, it will generate 800 megawatts of power, which will rank it as the largest of its kind in the United States. According to Jennifer Cullen, director of labor relations and workforce development for Vineyard Wind, it will deliver enough clean, renewable energy to power 400,000 homes.

She explained that 62 turbines are being built in the ocean that will interconnect at an onshore connection point with Cape Cod and the grid substation currently under construction.

This substation is the central hub for the NECA/IBEW Powering American Team and the site for cutting-edge transformers that convert raw wind-generated electricity into a controlled flow.

Power comes in from the wind turbines on redundant import lines at 220,000V, stepping down through a series of transformers, where it’s converted into 115,000V before heading to the exports and then into the substation. From there, it’s transferred to another yard and put onto the grid.

Electricians from IBEW Local 223 and lineworkers have been working on the project for about two years. Cullen said this part of the project is nearing completion, emphasizing the importance of having the substation and the power connection ready to go before installing the offshore assets (wind turbines) so they can sell energy to the grid as soon as the turbines are ready.

The project is expected to move Massachusetts closer toward its renewable energy and carbon emissions reduction goals. It’s also anticipated to be a model for other communities.

“What we do here will have a ripple effect across the country,” said Doug Nelson, business manager and financial secretary for IBEW 223.

“It’s a new industry,” said Spencer Austin Marks, executive director of the Rhode Island and Southeast Massachusetts Chapter NECA. “It’s not new work, but it’s a different environment. It’s very dynamic.” He acknowledged the demands on crews who spend three weeks at sea in all kinds of weather and high seas.

Harnessing the power of nature through renewable energy sources is an important step in sustainability, just as this innovative project is a significant source of local union jobs.