To the Editor:
Thanks for writing a piece about the impact of offshore wind (OSW) development on the transmission system. The general media has failed to discuss this important issue.
While the article accurately portrays the impact OSW will have on our transmission grid system and the need for upgrades to the system to better integrate wind electricity, it fails to point out the impact it will have on our environment.
The construction of the OSW facilities will have a negative impact on our marine environment by the placement of miles of underground transmission lines to get the electricity from the OSW turbines to the grid system.
These lines will be buried about 4 to 6 feet under the ocean floor. The lines and turbines themselves require oil and oil-based liquids to operate and OSW companies point out that the turbines will have to be replaced every 25 years.
Additionally, the lines will have an impact on the increased number of electric and magnetic fields going through our communities.
At risk are many federally protected and endangered wildlife, including whales, dolphins, horseshoe crabs, and countless birds. New Jersey is in the path of many migratory birds that stop over to rest and feed before they make their final journey.
As to the onshore activities, the OSW development will also impact the protected Pine Barrens, as your article states. However, the article fails to mention that as this upgrade takes place, it will require reconstruction and new construction in the Pinelands.
In fact, it is unknown how much damage the upgrades would do to the Pinelands and its critical environment because none of the studies have been completed.
Throwing insult to injury, the cost of OSW power is expected to be three to four times more than other forms of electricity generation. These windmills will also most likely run only about 50% of the time when the wind is blowing.
So, the public officials supporting OSW generation are supporting something that will cost three to four times more than we are currently paying and will run only about 50% of the time.
As a consumer, I am opposed to this wasteful expenditure. As a ratepayer, I am opposed to the needless increase in my rates for a less reliable form of generation. And as an environmentalist, I am opposed to the impact to our ocean environment in such a critical area of the ocean and its impact to the sensitive Pinelands.
