April 19 (Reuters) - New York State on Friday stalled

three major offshore wind-energy projects after General Electric

Vernova changed the turbine design, which the state said

"materially altered" the plans.

New York provisionally approved the projects in October

2023. They are Attentive Energy One being developed by

TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power and Corio

Generation; Community Offshore Wind, which is backed by RWE

and National Grid Ventures; and Vineyard

Offshore's Excelsior Wind.

But since then, GE Vernova decided to move from its 18

megawatt Haliade-X turbine platform to a smaller turbine.

This caused "technical and commercial complexities" for the

developers, the New York State Research and Development

Authority said in a statement that announced it would not sign

final contracts.

"Given these developments, no final awards will be made,"

NYSRDA said, adding it will "look to advance a future

competitive solicitation."

The problem is the latest hit to U.S. offshore wind energy

development, which is an important component of climate plans by

President Joe Biden and numerous U.S. states.

Supply chain problems and rising interest rates over the

past year have forced project cancellations and billions of

dollars in writedowns by major developers.

Vineyard Offshore spokesperson Andrew Doba said the

developer planned to continue to bid on new projects.

GE Vernova said it aimed to continue working with New York,

offshore developers and others to quickly scale offshore wind,

and touted its alternative.

"...We believe our technology will better position the

industry to create jobs, and strengthen the supply chain for the

next chapter of offshore wind in New York and beyond," the

company said in a statement.

Offshore wind industry group Oceantic said the news was

disappointing, but it "will not impact the market's overall

fundamentals."

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens

Campaign for the Environment, said: "Is it a bump in the road?

Yes,...but we are still going to get there."