"Instead of multiple connections, this will serve as a superhighway with on-ramps for wind farms," said Rick Needham, director of green business operations at Google, a major investor.
It also would increase the reliability of wind, they said. By joining the projects together, the variability of wind at any one location is smoothed out, lulls in one place compensated for by gusts elsewhere.
Critics said the project was unnecessary and would be expensive - potentially for the very ratepayers it is proposed to serve.
"The transmission spine adds a layer of cost, time and complexity. It simply is not needed," said Scott Jennings, president of PSEG Global, which is part of a joint venture, Garden State Offshore Energy.
Garden State and two other groups already have state backing to build three wind farms off the coast of New Jersey. Two other projects also have been proposed - all independent of the proposed line, dubbed the Atlantic Wind Connection.
Critics also said the line might serve as a conduit not just for clean wind power, but also for dirty coal power from the south. It could be routed onto the line in Virginia and, in essence, get an express ride north.
Supporters counter that carrying coal power is a good compromise and that the line's flexibility could help prevent brownouts in major metropolitan areas.
The initial phase would be from central New Jersey to Delaware, incorporating the territory where several wind farms have already been proposed, including PSEG's.
If the myriad regulatory permissions needed - from 13 agencies, by Mitchell's count - were granted, construction would begin in 2013 and the first phase would be completed by 2016.
