Connecticut, Rhode Island Governors Will Fight Trump-Ordered Halt to Nearly Done Wind Project

Governors of Rhode Island and Connecticut mentioned they’d struggle a Trump administration order—together with a possible lawsuit—to halt development on the 704-MW Revolution Wind power challenge 15 miles off their coasts that’s about 80% full and will function subsequent yr.  

The nation’s first such offshore wind power challenge to share output, the estimated $4-billion Revolution Wind was set to supply energy to greater than 350,000 houses within the two states, with Rhode Island earmarked for 400 MW and Connecticut taking 304 MW. All foundations for its 65 Siemens Gamesa-built generators, every 11 MW, are put in, with 45 of the generators additionally in place. Revolution Wind is a 50-50 partnership of Denmark-based Orsted and
the Skyborn Renewables unit of personal infrastructure funding large
International Infrastructure Companions.

On Aug. 22, the federal Bureau of Ocean Power Administration—the U.S. Inside Dept. company that regulates offshore wind in federal waters—notified Orsted to “halt all ongoing actions.” An official claimed the division needs to “handle considerations associated to the safety of nationwide safety pursuits in america,” not justifying or detailing the considerations however barring work till a “evaluation” of the challenge was accomplished, with no timeframe famous. Division spokespersons didn’t return media queries for added info.

Orsted mentioned in a press release that it was “contemplating a spread of eventualities, together with authorized proceedings,” however “is complying with the order and is taking acceptable steps to cease offshore actions, guaranteeing the security of employees and the setting.” 

The corporate additionally developed the 123-MW South Fork offshore wind challenge off New York state, which was inbuilt 2023 and is the primary such power challenge to function at business scale within the U.S. It has operated at 53% of its capability via the primary half of 2025, “on par with the state’s baseload energy sources,” the corporate mentioned. The agency remains to be constructing a 3rd challenge, the 924-MW Dawn Wind, additionally to promote energy to New York when accomplished in about 2027. Orsted mentioned its U.S. offshore wind initiatives have totaled about 4 million union labor hours up to now, with 2 million for Revolution Wind.

“At a time after we ought to be transferring ahead with options for power, jobs and affordability, the Trump Administration is selecting delay and disruption,” mentioned Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) on social media. “I’ll pursue each avenue to reverse the choice to halt work on Revolution Wind,” he added, emphasizing that the challenge was totally permitted. New England grid operator ISO New England mentioned Revolution Wind is factored into its energy provide projections, so not constructing it can “undermine the ability grid’s reliability and the area’s economic system now and sooner or later.” State officers pointed to threat of rolling blackouts.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) added: “This political transfer by the Trump administration will drive up the price
of electrical energy payments and contradicts every part [it] has
instructed us.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said that he expects authorized choices within the states’ favor, discovering the order illegal, because it was based mostly on “secret info,” he mentioned. 

Others additionally faulted the administration motion. “President Donald Trump simply fired 1,000 of our members who had already labored to finish 80% of this main power challenge,” mentioned North America’s Constructing Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey in a press release. Trump “retains speaking a giant sport about power dominance, however actions like this show it’s one other empty promise. Power dominance doesn’t imply taking away jobs.“ 

Revolution Wind “sparked investments in Louisiana and New England shipyards, bought export cables from a South Carolina manufacturing facility and spurred a metal provide chain that crossed New York and created a whole lot of union jobs in Windfall, Rhode Island,” mentioned Liz Burdick, CEO of trade advocacy group Oceantic Community.

In a social media post, offshore wind sector analyst Philip Totaro, CEO of IntelStor, famous the array of world suppliers and contractors engaged on Revolution Wind, together with Australia-based Worley and European corporations which have arrange U.S.-based operations. “I’m curious as to which of the provision chain firms concerned with the challenge supposedly signify a nationwide safety threat to the U.S. Is it the businesses based mostly within the U.S.? The U.Okay.? Firms positioned in E.U.-member nations like Denmark, Spain, France or the Netherlands? The trade should demand accountability!”

However the order provides new monetary strains for Orsted, which is 50% owned by the Danish authorities, with firm shares down 17% on Aug. 25, monetary media reported. U.S. market challenges lately and significantly this yr from Donald Trump orders—additionally affecting different sector builders—have included rising prices and rates of interest, provide chain disruptions and squeezed tax credit score modifications which have delayed and cancelled initiatives. Simply introduced is a U.S. Commerce Dept. investigation of turbine and different element imports that would generate extra
tariffs, analysts speculate.

On an Aug. 11 earnings name, Orsted executives famous company funding wants attributable to “surprising developments exterior our management” within the U.S. market, created in latest months by the consecutive anti-wind sector administration insurance policies. The corporate is assembly with buyers on Aug. 26 associated to its want for about $9.4 billion in new funding to proceed with the Revolution Wind and Dawn Wind initiatives.

In April, the administration ordered developer Equinor to halt work on the $5-billion Empire Wind challenge off New York, but quickly reversed it after intervention by state and different officers, and a gathering between Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and Trump. There’s hypothesis the reversal adopted her settlement to contemplate resumed development of two pure gasoline pipelines within the state, though she has denied it.

“It stays to be seen what value [Trump] would possibly search to extract from Connecticut and Rhode Island, Orsted and even Denmark for lifting the [Revolution Wind] cease work order,” mentioned wind sector publication Recharge.