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A federal directive has abruptly paused construction on the nearly complete Revolution Wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island, throwing the future of the state’s most significant renewable energy project into deep uncertainty. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a stop-work order on Friday afternoon, citing unspecified “national security concerns” regarding the offshore wind development.
The order, signed by BOEM’s acting director Matthew Giacona, offered no specific details on the nature of these concerns. This decision impacts a project that was approximately 80 percent finished, with 45 out of its 65 turbines already installed.
Revolution Wind, developed by the Danish energy company Orsted, secured its construction permits from the Biden administration in 2023. The project is crucial to Rhode Island and Connecticut, with power purchase agreements in place that state officials estimated would supply up to 350,000 homes with clean energy upon its projected completion next year.
Orsted has publicly stated its compliance with the federal order, confirming it will evaluate all available options to resolve the issue, including potential legal action. The company had invested significantly in the project, which aims to bolster the region’s green energy infrastructure.
Political Outcry and Economic Fallout
The halt has sparked immediate and strong reactions from Rhode Island’s top political figures. State officials are considering their own legal avenues to challenge the Trump administration’s decision and restart construction.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha emphasized the critical role Revolution Wind plays in the state’s ambitious clean energy goals. “Without Revolution Wind, our Act on Climate is dead in the water,” Neronha asserted, referring to the 2021 legislation targeting a complete transition to clean energy sources by 2033. He added, “With the significant investments made in this project already and its obvious benefit to our economy and climate, the Trump Administration’s attempt to halt it can only be characterized as bizarre.”
Governor Dan McKee highlighted the immediate economic impact, warning that the order jeopardizes hundreds of American jobs. Orsted operates a factory in Providence dedicated to manufacturing turbine foundations for various wind farms along the East Coast. Additionally, the project relies on local construction unions for turbine assembly at a port facility in New London, Connecticut, and for offshore installation approximately 15 miles south of Rhode Island’s coastline.
Precedent and Broader Implications for Offshore Wind
While the Revolution Wind project faces this significant setback, other similarly sized offshore wind farms in nearby federal waters, such as Vineyard Wind and Empire Wind, remain unaffected. However, the Trump administration did briefly halt work on Empire Wind for a month earlier this spring before allowing it to resume.
The unexpected stop-work order for Revolution Wind underscores the political volatility surrounding large-scale renewable energy projects and raises questions about regulatory consistency for the burgeoning offshore wind industry.