NEW LONDON — Connecticut is planning to spend $15 million to upgrade the State Pier in New London for use by developers of several offshore wind projects.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced a plan Tuesday that would include construction of a heavy lift pad on the pier.
He says the improvements would give developers a well-protected harbor from which to deploy equipment for the construction of wind turbines off the coasts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey.
Malloy says the spending, which must be approved by the state Bond Commission, would help spur economic development that could turn the city into a hub for the offshore wind industry.
State officials say the development also will provide a better link from Long Island Sound to the region's freight rail system.