NJEDA and PSEG Sign 78-year Lease for the New Jersey Wind Port, Establishing New Jersey As a Hub for the Clean Energy Economy

LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK, N.J., Sept. 14, 2021/ 3BL Media/ -The New Jersey Economic Development Authority and PSEG have signed a lease allowing for a term of up to 78-years on land that will be home to the New Jersey Wind Port in Salem County, New Jersey, further positioning the state as a hub for clean energy and the U.S. offshore wind industry. The port will provide a location for essential staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind along the East Coast. The Wind Port is located adjacent to PSEG’s nuclear generating site, which today provides more than 90% of New Jersey’s carbon-free electricity, and together, offshore wind and nuclear energy will deliver powerful support for our state and national clean energy ambitions.

“The New Jersey Wind Port is a transformational investment that will create hundreds of good jobs and drive billions of dollars of economic activity in South Jersey and throughout the State,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “This is a vital project that will help communities recover from the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and move us closer to Governor Murphy’s vision for a stronger, fairer New Jersey economy. The NJEDA is proud to partner with PSEG to bring this valuable new infrastructure asset to life.”

“The lease signing with the NJEDA is cause for celebration as the New Jersey Wind Port will provide a foundation for even more carbon-free energy in our region,” PSEG Chief Operating Officer Ralph LaRossa said. “Alongside PSEG’s nuclear plants, the New Jersey Wind Port will establish South Jersey as the heart of New Jersey’s clean energy economy. By supporting the development of renewable offshore wind power, this lease and the facility to come will establish New Jersey as the destination for clean energy development, operations, training, skills and innovation.”

“Salem County and South Jersey are already home to exceptional innovation, operations and a workforce skilled in generating clean energy for millions of customers. And now, with the addition of the New Jersey Wind Port, PSEG is proud to support the state as we become the hub for development of carbon-free resources for the East Coast,” PSEG Nuclear President and Chief Nuclear Officer Eric Carr said. “PSEG and PSEG Nuclear welcome broad partnerships such as ours with the NJEDA and we look forward to continuing to drive innovation, growth and investment in the clean energy economy.”

Offshore wind is a central component of Governor Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2050. As part of that plan, New Jersey has committed to producing 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035. Up and down the East Coast, offshore wind investment through 2035 is anticipated to exceed $150 billion. The U.S. offshore wind industry is expected to create 83,000 new (direct) jobs by 2030, most of which will be in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Through strategic investments and development, New Jersey can become a national leader in numerous portions of the offshore wind supply chain and become central to the clean energy economy.

The New Jersey Wind Port is located on an artificial island on the eastern shores of the Delaware River, southwest of the City of Salem. With its expansive footprint, lack of height restrictions, and easy access to the Atlantic Ocean’s wind farm lease areas, the Wind Port is one of a select few ports on the East Coast that can house offshore wind turbine marshalling and manufacturing. A key component of offshore wind turbine marshalling is the vertical assembly of turbine towers, which are hundreds of feet tall and cannot fit beneath bridges, power lines, and other naturally-occurring barriers that would impose height restrictions. No other port in the region is able to support the marshalling and manufacturing operations that will take place at the Wind Port.

Job Creation

The New Jersey Wind Port has the potential to create more than 1,500 manufacturing, assembly and operations jobs, as well as hundreds of construction jobs. Many positions at the Wind Port will be trade jobs and require skill certifications, like welding or an electrician’s license, but will not require a college degree. The construction phase of the Wind Port also will create hundreds of union jobs. Last week, Construction Manager (CM) AECOM-Tishman signed a project labor agreement (PLA) with the United Building Trades Council of Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO. The NJEDA is also working with AECOM-Tishman to ensure at least 25 percent of subcontractors for the port construction are small businesses and at least 15 percent are women-, minority-, or veteran- owned. The Wind Port project also includes worker diversity goals of 18 percent people of color and 6.9 percent women.

The New Jersey Wind Port site was selected in June 2020 after a 22-month assessment process, including engagement with industry, government, and environmental stakeholders. The NJEDA has been preparing the site and finalizing design since summer 2020. It is more than five miles from the nearest New Jersey residential area and provides ample space to grow operations over time.

About the New Jersey Economic Development Authority

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.

To learn more about NJEDA resources for businesses call NJEDA Customer Care at 609-858-6767 or visitand follow @NewJerseyEDA onFacebook, Twitter,Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About PSEG

Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with approximately 13,000 employees. Headquartered in Newark, N.J., PSEG's principal operating subsidiaries are: Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island. PSEG is a Fortune 500 company included in the S&P 500 Index and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 13 consecutive years (https://corporate.pseg.com).