Sweeney, Burzichelli, Taliaferro Join Governor to Announce $250 Million Investment in Paulsboro Wind Turbine Manufacturing Facility

PAULSBORO – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Deputy Speaker John Burzichelli, and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro joined Governor Phil Murphy to announce a $250 million investment in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Paulsboro to build steel components, known as monopiles, for offshore wind turbines that will serve the entire nation’s offshore wind industry.

“This is an important step forward that will support a new era of economic development and job growth in South Jersey with the ability to produce economic benefits for generations to come,” Senator Sweeney said at the December 22 announcement. “Wind energy is our future – it’s clean, it’s safe, and it offers the opportunity for New Jersey to be a dominant leader in creating a new sector for our economy. Bringing offshore-wind manufacturing to New Jersey is key to making the state a hub of the supply chain for wind energy products and services. The new headquarters for EEW will locate a leading manufacturer of monopiles to the Paulsboro Terminal, where it will help make the port a thriving center of commerce. The collaboration between the public and private sectors to get this done is a powerful reminder of what we have to do to create economic opportunities and what we can do to promote offshore wind energy.”

The three Democratic legislators, who represent Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland counties, have fought for years to expand Paulsboro’s port facilities and to attract offshore wind manufacturing to the area. The new facility, which will be located at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal, is the largest industrial offshore wind investment in the United States to date and will create more than 500 high-paying jobs at full build-out. Construction on the facility will break ground in January 2021, with production beginning in 2023.

“This headquarters agreement to support offshore wind projects will lead to the creation of hundreds of high-paying, sustainable jobs which will greatly benefit the region and its residents,” said Assemblyman Burzichelli. “I applaud Governor Murphy for helping us take a major step in cementing New Jersey as the leader in offshore wind projects along the eastern seaboard. This is a prime example of public investment paying dividends for the residents of our state.”

“New Jersey has made a commitment to significantly reduce our carbon emissions in the years ahead and taking this step to harness our state’s wind energy will be a major component in recognizing that goal,” said Assemblyman Taliaferro. “The creation of this facility will be transformative for the town of Paulsboro, creating sustainable, high-paying careers in an emerging industry. I am proud that our district will be home to a facility that is integral to not only expanding wind energy here in our state but throughout the United States.”