Can wind energy grow R.I. jobs?

ENERGIZING THE ECONOMY? Jeff Grybowski, right, CEO of Deepwater Wind, and Gov. Gina M. Raimondo at Specialty Diving Services in North Kingstown, marking the beginning of construction work for the Block Island Wind Farm. / PBN PHOTO/?MICHAEL SALERNO
ENERGIZING THE ECONOMY? Jeff Grybowski, right, CEO of Deepwater Wind, and Gov. Gina M. Raimondo at Specialty Diving Services in North Kingstown, marking the beginning of construction work for the Block Island Wind Farm. / PBN PHOTO/?MICHAEL SALERNO

The tantalizing promise of offshore wind energy as a growth industry for Rhode Island was again touted by state leaders last week, as several dozen employees at a marine fabrication company in North Kingstown started work on components of the Block Island Wind Farm.

The employees of Specialty Diving Services are the first of what is expected to be 330 full- and part-time people working to build and install five turbines at a site in state waters, about three miles southeast of Block Island.

The number of jobs tied to the construction phase of the demonstration project is slightly higher than the initial projection by Deepwater Wind LLC, which is building the wind farm. The company said its installation is on track to be the first offshore wind farm in the U.S.

The development is an opportunity for Rhode Island to stake out a leadership position in a growth industry, said Gov. Gina M. Raimondo. “Not only are we going to create over 300 good-paying jobs, but we’re going to rebrand ourselves as being more innovative and, over time, make Rhode Island a place that has lower energy costs, more diversified energy supply and greener energy,” she said.

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Deepwater Wind first emerged on the local scene in 2008 with a promise of creating 800 jobs in the next few years tied to development of a planned 100-turbine project off the coast of Rhode Island. The job projections, like the scope and deadlines for the project itself, have changed over the years. That larger project, now pegged at up to 200 turbines, is still in the planning stages.

And that means the economy-impacting jobs expected to come with it, estimated earlier this year by Deepwater at approximately 1,000 during construction and 200 full-time positions afterward, remain elusive.

It’s also unclear whether the 330 demonstration-project construction jobs announced last week will add new positions to the state’s economy, according to Deepwater spokeswoman Meaghan Wims.

But the five turbines that will be installed over the next 16 months will give the state’s workers a head start in gaining skills and experience in the industry, said Michael Sabitoni, president of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents 16 trade unions.

These are high-skill, specialized jobs for which local tradespeople already have been trained, in part through a federal grant.

The work will employ ironworkers, plumbers, electricians, pile drivers and divers, among others.

In the future, with the skills gained from the Block Island project, the state should be able to emerge as a location for supplying a workforce in offshore wind energy, Sabitoni said.

“We will have the ability to rev up our training programs and meet whatever the industry needs,” he said. •

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1 COMMENT

  1. This project will be a worse mistake that 38 Studios. These jobs are only here for a very short time. The official filling for this project shows only about 5 Jobs will be created long term as a result of this project. The politicians are lying to everyone in the state about the benefit of this project.
    Once completed the rate-payers of Rhode Island will have their electrical rates raised above market prices for 20-years.
    This will cost some of the larger businesses millions a year. This will cost many jobs! These businesses will pay millions more for electricity because of this project. Individual consumers of electricity will also pay above market.

    How is this project allowed to go forward? The debacle will dwarf 38 studios and it will be an anchor that will drag the Rhode Island economy further into the abyss.