Abstract
Virginia Electric and Power Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dominion Resources, Inc. (Dominion) is proposing the Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advancement Project (VOWTAP or Project), a 12 megawatt (MW), two turbine offshore wind demonstration project located approximately 24 nautical miles (27 statute miles, 43 kilometers) offshore of the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia (Figure 1). Other offshore Project facilities include a 34.5 kilovolt (kV) Inter-Array Cable that will interconnect the two VOWTAP wind turbine generators (WTGs), and a 34.5 kV Export Cable that will convey electricity from the WTGs to a landfall site located in Virginia Beach, Virginia (Figure 1).
Dominion is aware that construction and operation of the Project has the potential to cause acoustic harassment to marine species, in particular marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish populations. This technical appendix presents the acoustic modeling methodologies, as applied, to estimate the expected underwater noise levels generated during construction and operation of the proposed Project, including pile driving of wind turbine foundations, which is expected to generate the highest underwater sound levels.