Dominion Virginia Power is interested in building up to 400 wind turbines in Atlantic waters in what could be a powerful message for an emerging domestic source of clean energy.

Virginia's largest electric utility outlined its plans Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press as the Obama administration moved forward with plans to open waters off Virginia Beach to wind development.

Dominion's senior vice president for alternative energy solutions said Dominion is in a good position to develop offshore winds and could generate up to 2,000 megawatts.

Mary Doswell said keeping costs down will be the challenge. Absent tax credits, power generated by towering wind turbines costs about 28 cents per kilowatt hour, while Dominion's rates are now in the range of 11 to 12 cents per kilowatt hour.