A major clean energy milestone is taking shape just off the coast of Virginia Beach.
The first turbines of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project began delivering electricity to Virginia’s power grid in March 2026. While final construction will continue into early 2027, the project has officially moved from being an idea on paper to a reality for Virginia residents, generating power for Virginia homes and businesses.
America’s Biggest Offshore Wind Project
Located about 27 miles off the Virginia Beach coastline, CVOW is the largest offshore wind project in the United States. When all 176 turbines are installed, the project will generate up to 2.6 gigawatts of electricity — enough to power approximately 660,000 homes — and produce about 9.5 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year.
While the scale of the project is impressive, it’s only part of the story. A project this size took years of coordination among state government, private industry and local stakeholders moving through permitting, environmental review and engineering while building the partnerships and workforce needed to build an offshore wind farm of this scale in Virginia waters for the first time.
More Than Clean Energy
CVOW’s impact reaches beyond the electricity it generates. According to Dominion’s projections, the project is expected to support roughly 900 direct and indirect Virginia jobs annually during construction alone. Once operational, it could support approximately 1,100 direct and indirect jobs each year in Hampton Roads.
The project also reflects a commitment to protecting the customers who ultimately pay for it. Under a stakeholder settlement approved by the State Corporate Commission, the projects owners, not ratepayers, are responsible for half of any costs over $10.3 billion, and the estimated lifetime impact on a typical household bill is about 43 cents a month. It is a model for how large energy projects can move forward without passing their costs onto families.
The years-long effort off the coast of Virginia Beach has helped position Hampton Roads and Virginia as a hub for America’s growing offshore wind industry, supporting the development of a local offshore wind supply chain and creating new opportunities for local businesses.
Looking Ahead
America’s electricity demand continues to grow as advanced manufacturing, data centers and artificial intelligence require more reliable sources of power.
Meeting that demand will take an all-of-the-above energy strategy, one that keeps every energy option on the table, and projects like Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind demonstrate how one resource can become part of a broader, more robust energy mix.
As additional turbines come online over the next year, Virginia Beach won’t just be home to America’s largest offshore wind farm, it will stand as an example of what long-term planning and investment can achieve.