Trump halts Orsted’s US Revolution Wind
Administration issues stop-work order against array already 80% complete to address ‘national security concerns’
The Trump administration has issued a stop-work order for Orsted’s 704MW Revolution Wind farm already 80% complete to address ‘national security’ and other concerns.
Trump’s anti-offshore wind memorandum froze all sector permitting and leasing and put even approved projects under review with a goal of termination.
“In particular, BOEM is seeking to address concerns related to the protection of national security interests” and “prevention of interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone, the high seas, and the territorial seas,” the agency said.
Orsted responded that it “is evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously.
“This includes engagement with relevant permitting agencies for any necessary clarification or resolution as well as through potential legal proceedings, with the aim being to proceed with continued project construction towards COD [commercial operations date] in the second half of 2026,” it added.
Trump has already used reviews to kill EDF’s 1.5GW Atlantic Shores and to stop work at Equinor’s 810MW Empire Wind 1 for a month before it was allowed to restart.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pulled its Clean Air permit for Atlantic Shores will little explanation.
Empire was stopped allegedly due to serious issues with its permits but was then allowed to restart under those same permits.
Industry reaction
“This is not the first time extreme partisan politics has derailed sound energy policy,” said Jason Grumet, CEO of renewables advocate American Clean Power Association.
“The unfortunate message to investors is clear: the US is no longer a reliable place for long-term energy investments,” he added.
Liz Burdock head of industry group Oceantic Network, said: “This dramatic action further erodes investor confidence in the US market across all industries and undermines progress on shared national priorities – shipyard revitalisation, steel and port investments, and energy dominance.
“Halting work on Revolution Wind will drive up energy costs for consumers, idle Gulf Coast vessel operators that have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in new or retrofitted vessels, and jeopardise the livelihoods of union workers,” she added.
Revolution is in addition facing at least one federal lawsuit.
Orsted notes that 45 of the total 65 11MW Siemens Gamesa turbines have already been installed for the project split between Connecticut and Rhode Island, where it will power 350,000 homes.
“South Fork Wind, which is adjacent to Revolution Wind and uses the same turbine technology, delivered reliable energy to New York at a capacity factor of 53% for the first half of 2025, on par with the state’s baseload power sources,” Orsted added.
The Trump administration has condemned renewables as intermittent power sources that have distracted from the critical need to build baseload.
Orsted's struggle
“Existing shareholders and prospective investors are advised to await further announcements by the company,” it said.
Orsted is majority owned by Denmark, which governs Greenland, a territory Trump has repeatedly insisted he wanted to annex.
The Danish company owns Revolution Wind LLC in a joint venture with Global Infrastructure Partner's Skyborn Renewables.
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