California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed legislation that will allow the city to streamline the design and construction of a 400-acre terminal to construct and ship wind turbines to the northern part of the state.
The terminal, called Pier Wind, will allow for staging, storage and assembly of wind turbines that are as tall as the Eiffel Tower.
The cost for this work is estimated at $4.7 billion.
The new legislation, authored by Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal, will allow the city to accept bids from companies that can both design and build the facility, or from contractors who can manage the entire project; in the normal process, the city would issue bids for design, and when that is complete, issue bids for construction.
The process allowed for under the legislation requires the city to evaluate all options for the work — including the slower, traditional process — at a public hearing, and then issue a written finding that an alternative method will speed up the timeline or save money.
Port executives, labor groups and trade associations all supported the legislation.
“We now have the ability to plan and build Pier Wind in a way that is smarter, faster and more cost-effective,” Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero said in a written statement.
Port officials are hopeful the work will begin in 2027, with the project completed in 2035.
The new wind terminal is now undergoing environmental review by local, state and federal regulatory agencies.
The facility would be the largest of its kind in the country. Proponents say it is critical to helping California meet its goals for renewable energy sources.