Southold Town Board not sold on offshore wind farm

Southold Town is not sure what to make of a recent proposal by Deepwater Wind to build a 1,000 megawatt offshore wind farm, called the Deepwater Wind Energy Center, 20 miles east of Montauk.

Deepwater Wind recently contacted the town requesting a letter of support for the project, but Supervisor Scott Russell said Deepwater has not yet prepared an environmental impact report and the Long Island Power Authority has yet to decide whether to use the power the project would generate.

LIPA recently issued a request for proposals for new energy production facilities, Mr. Russell said, but was expecting bidders to prepare plans for conventional energy production, not a giant wind farm.

According to Deepwater Wind’s website, the farm, if built, would produce enough energy to power 350,000 homes.

“I was reluctant to write a letter of endorsement because I don’t know enough about it,” Mr. Russell said at a work session Tuesday.

Councilman Al Krupski said Deepwater Wind had previously proposed a wind farm off Plum Island that would have interfered with fishing and navigation.

The Town Board agreed to not send a letter of support.