Leases approved for massive off-shore wind farm off Morro Bay coast

MORRO BAY, Calif. - Lease agreements for California's first offshore wind farm off the coast of Morro Bay were approved Thursday, paving the way for the massive floating energy project.

The Department of the Interior made the announcement and unveiled the proposed auction details and lease terms for the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area, which would be located 20 miles off the coast of San Luis Obispo County.

The announcement came almost exactly one year after the Biden Administration agreed to the size, scope and location of the project.

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Morro Bay project would span 376 square miles and would produce 3 gigawatts of energy, enough to power more than 1 million homes.

Officials have said it is the largest floating off-shore wind project in the country.

A similar project off the coast of Humboldt County in Northern California was also approved. In total, the two projects would generate 4.5 gigawatts of energy, powering more than 1.5 million homes.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's California Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force will hold a meeting on June 3 to provide updates on offshore wind energy and to discuss the next steps in the authorization process.

To register for that meeting, click here.