Revolution Wind project halted by Trump administration
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The U.S. Department of the Interior ordered any ongoing activity related to the Revolution Wind Project to stop Friday.
In a letter to leadership at Orsted, the acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said the Department of Interior wants concerns addressed before any work can resume.
Acting Director Matthew Giacona said these concerns have been identified as part of a review of offshore wind projects mandated by the president.
Specific concerns include protection of the environment and national security interests, Giacona said.
Orsted completed installation of the project’s first offshore wind turbine in September 2024.
At the time, the company hailed it as a “historic moment for Rhode Island and Connecticut’s first large-scale offshore wind farm.”
Gov. Dan McKee celebrated it as a “monumental moment” for Rhode Island at the time.
Orsted said the 704-megawatt offshore wind farm was set to generate enough energy to power 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
The project site is 15 miles south of Rhode Island’s coast.
The project was expected to be operational in 2026, according to Orsted’s website.
In a statement sent to ABC6 Friday, Orsted said it is complying with the order.
The company noted that the project is already 80 percent complete, with 45 of 65 wind turbines installed.
The company is considering legal proceedings in the matter, the statement said.
In a statement released Saturday morning, McKee said, in part:
“The Trump administration’s stop-work order on Revolution Wind undermines efforts to expand our energy supply, lower costs for families and businesses, and strengthen regional reliability. This action puts hundreds of union jobs at risk by halting a project that is 80% complete—just steps away from powering more than 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.”
McKee said he is working with Gov. Ned Lamont, a fellow Democrat from Connecticut, to pursue avenues to reverse the decision.
