Federal judge rules against Trump admin, allows resume of massive offshore wind project

Construction on a U.S. offshore wind project has resumed after a federal judge ruled that Denmark’s Orsted may move forward, even as the Trump administration’s broader legal effort to permanently block the project remains ongoing.

The ruling, handed down on Monday, is a legal setback for President Donald Trump. Attorneys for the administration had argued that the project, located 15 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, failed to comply with some conditions of its permit.

A stop-work order was issued on August 22 for Revolution Wind by the U.S. Bureau of Energy Management. Revolution Wind was 80% complete with all offshore foundations in place and 45 of 65 wind turbines installed at the time.

“Revolution Wind is back on track,” Connecticut’s Democratic Governor Ned Lamont wrote on X on Tuesday. “Nearly complete, this project will power 350,000 homes, lower energy costs, support countless jobs, and pave the way for a clean energy future.”

Orsted and joint venture partner Skyborn Renewables have already spent or committed about $5 billion to the project, according to U.S. court filings by the companies obtained by Reuters. They would incur over $1 billion in breakaway costs if it were to be canceled.

“President Trump was elected with a resounding mandate to end Joe Biden’s war on American energy and restore our country’s energy dominance – which includes prioritizing the most effective and reliable tools to power our country,” a White House spokesperson told Bloomberg Law.

The spokesperson added that the ruling “will not be the final say on the matter.”

Reuters contributed to this report.