McKee sends letter to Secretary of the Interior over Revolution Wind Project stoppage

Gino DeAngelis,

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Gov. Dan McKee sent Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum a letter in response to a meeting the two had about the stoppage of the Revolution Wind Project.

The U.S. Department of the Interior ordered any ongoing activity related to the Revolution Wind Project to stop on Aug. 22.

McKee said in the letter that he “strongly oppos[ed]” the order and said the project was 80% completed.

“The stop-work order undermines efforts to expand our energy supply, lower costs for families and businesses, and strengthen regional reliability,” the governor said. “This action puts hundreds of well-paid blue-collar jobs at risk by halting a project that is just steps away from powering more than 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.”

He also included a full list of infrastructure that had already been delivered and installed for the project.

The full letter can be read below:

Dear Secretary Burgum,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me last week regarding the stop-work order for the Revolution Wind project.

As I emphasized, I strongly oppose this order, which will have serious consequences for jobs, energy security, and affordability in Rhode Island. The stop-work order undermines efforts to expand our energy supply, lower costs for families and businesses, and strengthen regional reliability. This action puts hundreds of well-paid blue-collar jobs at risk by halting a project that is just steps away from powering more than 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

On our call, we discussed that Revolution Wind is more than 80% complete — distinct from most other projects. The State of Rhode Island, Ørsted, and other private partners have already invested millions, resulting in substantial infrastructure development. Canceling fully permitted projects, especially those near completion, undermines investor confidence by signaling that commitments can be reversed on a whim. And Rhode Island is not alone, I’ve been working closely with fellow governors, including Governor Lamont, who share our concerns about the stop-work order.

As you requested, I have included the utility infrastructure materials below, along with attached photographs. The following infrastructure was already in place when the stop-work order was issued:

  • Monopiles – steel foundations attached to the seabed: 65 of 65 installed
  • Turbines – blades and nacelles powering the wind system: 45 of 65 installed
  • Export cable – fully installed in the seabed from the wind farm to the Quonset, Rhode Island onshore substation; awaiting only connection to the second offshore substation
  • Array cables – seabed cables linking individual turbines to offshore substations: 34 of 65 installed
  • Offshore substations – 1 of 2 installed
  • Onshore substation – 90% complete; physical construction substantially finished
  • Onshore cable installation (landfall to onshore substation) – complete, including horizontal directional drill to offshore
  • Onshore cable installation (onshore substation to interconnect facility) – complete
  • Interconnection facility – completed, connected to the grid, and energized
  • Civil works at onshore substation – completed
  • Major electrical equipment at onshore substation – installed; commissioning and testing underway

I would also like to reiterate my request for an in-person meeting with President Trump. I look forward to continuing to underscore the urgent consequences of this stop-work order for Rhode Island, the region’s economy, and its working families.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. McKee

Governor

Categories: News, Rhode Island

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