UXO Survey Kicks Off Along Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Export Cable Route

U.S. offshore wind developer Dominion Energy is this week kicking off unexploded ordinance identification within the export cable corridor and the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) lease area located offshore of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The U.S. Coast Guard said in a notice to mariners that the UXO works would start on or about April 25, 2023, and run until Fall 2023.

The UXO Identification work will begin with the mobilization of the M/V Subsea Responder I, followed shortly by the M/V Subsea Responder II. 

These vessels will utilize Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to investigate targets identified by survey activities and determine if they are UXO.  

These vessels will not be towing any survey equipment and should not pose a hazard to any fixed gear commercial fishing operations, the notice to mariners reads.

Mariners transiting or fishing in the area are requested to keep a distance of 0.5 NM from the work vessels and equipment, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Dominion Energy's 2.6-gigawatt CVOW project, planned off the Virginia Beach coast, will, once fully operational, generate enough electricity to power up to 660,000 homes.