A federal judge has lifted the suspension on the Revolution Wind project, a major offshore wind farm development in New England, permitting construction to resume after the Trump administration halted work in August. The decision provides a major legal victory for the project’s developers, Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables.
Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction on Monday, declaring that the forced work stoppage was arbitrary and capricious. He found that the government lacked clear factual support for its stop-work order and that delaying the project further would cause “irreparable harm” to the companies involved.
At about 80% completion, Revolution Wind had only weeks earlier been ordered to stop due to vague national security concerns, even though prior assessments had allowed the project to proceed. The developers argue that the government’s actions violate the “major questions doctrine,” as the administration attempted to reverse previously granted approvals without proper justification.
The scope of the project is substantial: once complete, Revolution Wind is expected to deliver over 700 MW of clean energy to Rhode Island and Connecticut—enough to supply electricity to more than 350,000 homes.
Judge Lamberth emphasized that failing to resume construction could cause irreparable financial harm, pointing out that essential specialized equipment would not be available beyond December, likely further delaying or jeopardizing project completion.
State authorities from both Rhode Island and Connecticut, along with the developers, had sued the Interior Department and related agencies earlier this month to block the stop-work order. In his ruling, the judge found their arguments compelling and awarded the injunction while the legal challenges proceed.
Despite the ruling, uncertainties remain. The government continues its review of the project under its national security concerns, and the possibility of appeals or further legal action may still delay full operations.
