Projects Near Completion Caught in the Crossfire
The federal government first paused Revolution Wind in August, a move that unsettled the industry because the project was nearing completion. Construction crews were left idle at sea until a federal judge ruled in September that work could resume.
Revolution Wind aims to deliver 704 megawatts of offshore power to Connecticut and Rhode Island and is expected to create more than 2,000 direct jobs. Ørsted said the project secured all required federal and state permits in 2023.
Empire Wind’s Stop-and-Go Timeline
The administration halted Empire Wind in the spring, though negotiations with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, later allowed construction to continue. Equinor said the project is now 60% complete, with dozens of vessels already deployed.
Once finished, Empire Wind is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 500,000 New York homes.
Broader Pushback Builds
The administration’s order also froze work on Vineyard Wind 1 off Martha’s Vineyard, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, and Sunrise Wind near New York.
Opposition is growing. Dominion Energy Virginia, the developer behind Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, filed its own legal challenge last week, calling the administration’s action arbitrary and capricious.
In December, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, labeled the pause unlawful and said she was working closely with affected states and developers to ensure the projects move forward.
