The Trump administration on Friday ordered an immediate halt to construction of a nearly complete offshore wind project off Rhode Island’s coast, citing unspecified national security concerns and dealing a major blow to the renewable energy industry.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management told Danish energy company Ørsted to stop all work on Revolution Wind, an 80% complete project that was scheduled to begin powering 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut next year. The order affects 1,200 jobs and puts the multibillion-dollar investment at risk.
Federal officials said the halt was needed to “address concerns related to the protection of national security interests of the United States,” but did not specify what those concerns were. The project had cleared nine years of federal and state reviews and received final approval in November 2023.
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Revolution Wind has 45 of its planned 65 wind turbines already installed in federal waters, more than 15 miles south of Rhode Island. Construction began in 2023 and was proceeding on schedule until Friday’s order.
“This arbitrary decision defies all logic and reason,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who vowed to fight the decision. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said they would “pursue every avenue to reverse the decision.”
The stoppage is the second time the Trump administration has halted construction on an active offshore wind project. Work on New York’s Empire Wind project was stopped in April but later resumed after political intervention.
President Donald Trump issued a moratorium on new offshore wind projects on his first day in office and has called wind power “THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY” on social media. Since January, the administration has also made it harder for renewable energy companies to qualify for federal tax incentives and launched a national security investigation into wind turbine imports.
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Ørsted said it was evaluating “all options to resolve the matter expeditiously,” including potential legal action. The company noted its US offshore wind projects have generated 4 million union labor hours, with 2 million from Revolution Wind alone.
Industry advocates warned the decision would undermine investor confidence and drive up energy costs. “The unfortunate message to investors is clear: the US is no longer a reliable place for long-term energy investments,” Jason Grumet, CEO of American Clean Power, said in a statement.
The project’s location near Cox Ledge, an important fishing habitat, has drawn opposition from commercial fishing groups. Green Oceans, a nonprofit opposing offshore wind, praised the administration’s decision as protecting “the fragile ocean environment.”
Revolution Wind was considered crucial for Rhode Island and Connecticut to meet their climate goals, as both densely populated states have limited space for land-based renewable energy projects. Wind power currently provides about 10% of US electricity generation.
The halt leaves hundreds of workers facing uncertain employment and raises questions about the future of the US offshore wind industry, which has a pipeline of projects worth $80 billion in various stages of development.
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