In a significant decision on Monday, a federal judge ruled that Orsted, the Danish energy giant, can now resume construction on its massive Revolution Wind farm. This pivotal project, located off the Rhode Island coast and nearing completion, had faced an unexpected halt last month under orders from the Trump administration.
U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington D.C. issued a preliminary injunction, siding with Revolution Wind’s developers who had sued to challenge the Interior Department’s directive to cease operations. This ruling allows the crucial construction to proceed while the legal battle unfolds.
Orsted, developing the wind farm in collaboration with Skyborn Renewables, quickly announced that “Revolution Wind will resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority.” The company also expressed its commitment to “continue to seek to work collaboratively with the U.S. administration and other stakeholders toward a prompt resolution” of the ongoing legal dispute.
The $6.2 billion Revolution Wind project, an ambitious 65-turbine initiative, was already 80 percent finished when the Interior Department abruptly halted construction on August 29. Developers had projected that the farm would be capable of powering over 350,000 homes across Rhode Island and Connecticut by the upcoming spring.
The Interior Department, upon issuing the stop-work order, vaguely referred to “unspecified national security concerns.” In its defense against Orsted’s lawsuit, the government further contended that the project had not met specific permit requirements, notably those concerning coordination with the U.S. Navy to prevent interference with military operations.
Court documents revealed that Orsted was incurring daily losses of $2.3 million due to the halted construction. The company asserted that the project had, in fact, undergone a thorough national security review by the federal government prior to receiving its final approval in 2023.
Judge Lamberth, in his judgment, noted that Revolution Wind “has demonstrated likelihood of success” in its arguments. He also emphasized that the company would face “irreparable harm” if the Trump administration’s directive to cease work continued.
Elizabeth Peace, a spokesperson for the Interior Department, stated that Revolution Wind “will be able to resume construction.” She added that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management would “continue its investigation into possible impacts by the project to national security and prevention of other uses on the Outer Continental Shelf” during this time.
Despite the ruling, the Trump administration retains the option to appeal Judge Lamberth’s decision, a move that would undoubtedly introduce further legal uncertainty for the Revolution Wind project.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly indicated in a statement that Monday’s court decision “will not be the final say on the matter,” suggesting further action might be taken.
This court decision marks the first major legal challenge to former President Trump’s broader campaign to impede the growth of the U.S. offshore wind industry. Beyond the Revolution Wind project, his administration has actively pursued the cancellation of permits for other offshore wind initiatives near Massachusetts and Maryland.
The White House had previously engaged several federal agencies in a coordinated effort to obstruct offshore wind development. This included directing the Health and Human Services Department to investigate potential health impacts of wind turbines and the Department of Defense to identify any national security risks.
Earlier in April, the Interior Department had similarly ordered a halt to construction on Empire Wind, a $5 billion wind farm near New York. This project, fully approved by the Biden administration, was already underway. However, following weeks of negotiations, including discussions with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, the administration ultimately permitted Empire Wind to continue.
White House officials implied that this reversal only occurred after Governor Hochul consented to new gas pipeline approvals within the state. However, the governor vehemently denied any such agreement.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, also a Democrat, had previously expressed his openness to addressing any concerns the Trump administration held regarding Revolution Wind. During a press conference on Monday, he confirmed “extensive conversations and negotiations” over the weekend, noting that the court’s decision now allows work to proceed temporarily.
“My understanding is that the work can begin again soon,” Governor Lamont stated. “If we want to talk about birds and fish and national security, we can do that, but in the meantime, let’s get back to work.”
Both Connecticut and Rhode Island had independently initiated lawsuits in federal court, also contesting the stop-work order.
The initial stop-work order had caused significant disruption for the Revolution Wind project, which at one point employed over 1,200 individuals. Many workers were abruptly sent home, uncertain about their return. Vital components, including massive turbine blades, remained stranded at the New London port, awaiting transport.
John Dunderdale, business manager for Pile Drivers and Divers Local 56, representing over 40 unionized workers on the project, explained the impact: “We work on an hourly basis, so this stoppage is affecting wages, benefits, pensions. It put our guys in a holding pattern.”