4C Offshore Empowering Intelligence

Lifeline for LEEDCo's Icebreaker project

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 18/09/2020 LEEDCo

While the final decision is not yet in place,
the Icebreaker offshore wind farm has received a critical lifeline thanks to an amendment offered by Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Mertz stated at the recent Ohio Power Siting Board meeting that she believed there were some “valid objections” to the questionable night time shutdown decision that made the Lake Erie wind project financially unfeasible.

The amendment was unanimously approved. However, the revised ruling has yet to be drafted and voted on. Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) President Dave Karpinski said he is anxious for the official vote, after which LEEDCo looks forward to working with the State of Ohio on additional steps needed to make this project a reality.

“This is an important and positive development for Ohio, and we want to thank Mary Mertz for hearing our concerns and introducing this amendment,”
said Karpinski. “I especially want to thank Rep. Jeff Crossman and Sen. Sandra Williams who, as non-voting members of the board, strongly advocated for this project and on behalf of transparency, clean energy and new jobs.”

LEEDCo has been planning the
Icebreaker project for more than 11 years. It is poised to be the first freshwater offshore wind energy installation in North America, and is to be located eight miles off the coast of downtown Cleveland. The project is to consist of six MHI Vestas 3.45 MW turbines with mono bucket foundations on Lake Erie, 8-10 miles off the shores of Cleveland. An 11.8 mile-long subsea cable route will connect to the Cleveland Public Power's onshore Lake Road 138 kV substation. LEEDCo claims that the project could create more than 500 jobs and generate $253 million in economic impact during construction and throughout its lifetime.

The decision follows a LEEDCo appeal for rehearing on the siting board’s May decision to mandate the wind farm cease operations every night from March until November. LEEDCo said that shutdown mandate contradicted evidence presented. OPSB staff had recommended the project without the condition and the State’s own experts testified that the condition wasn’t needed. LEEDCo  stated it was stunned by the board’s ruling that included the provision.


In addition to Sen. Williams and Rep. Crossman, 30 legislators comprising a quarter of the Ohio General Assembly sent a letter to the State a month ago encouraging the board to revisit the May ruling.

Senate President Larry Obhof and Sen. Steve Wilson issued a statement that encouraged the board not to preclude any development that detracted from Ohio consumers having an abundant diversity of energy options to choose from.


Independent studies have concluded that the project poses limited risk to birds and bats, and LEEDCo has committed to measures that would minimise adverse impacts on wildlife Icebreaker has been opposed by the coal industry.


“Icebreaker Wind is a tremendous opportunity for the state to diversify its economy and a win for clean energy options in Ohio,”
Karpinski said. “Already, more than 275 area companies in Ohio have registered to be a part of it.”


For more information about offshore wind farms worldwide, click here. Alternatively, you can view projects across the globe using 4C Offshore's interactive map.

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