A LIPA study showed a maximum of 5,200 MW of electricity, enough to power more than 5 million homes, could be produced by wind generators placed in a 314 square-mile band three to six nautical miles off Long Island's south shore and Montauk Point.

"We're going to move forward with a more detailed evaluation of its potential so that we can develop some specific recommendations for the placement of wind generators off Long Island's south shore," Kessel said.

By restricting the placement of offshore wind turbines to a smaller, 135 square-mile band about three nautical miles from shore, with water depths of 50 feet or less, about 2,250 MW of wind-generated power could be produced, the study found.

LIPA said it will meet with interested developers on Today, June 25. It would, however, take a developer about three to five years to build any offshore wind turbines because of the needed local, state and federal approvals.

Using a standard offshore wind turbine: the rotor hub would be 252 feet above the surface of the water; rotor blades would be 164 feet long; and the tip of the rotor blades would reach a height of 426 feet above the water, about the height of a 40 story building.

The study found that a 100 MW offshore project would cost about $150 million to $180 million, with interconnection costs ranging from $40 to $70 million.

The study, "Long Island's Offshore Wind Energy Development Potential: A Preliminary Assessment," was co-funded by LIPA and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

LIPA is a state-owned utility that provides electric service to about 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens.

NYSERDA is a state organization that supports research to develop technologies that save energy and reduce emissions.