Trump administration halts work on New England offshore wind project

Driving the news: Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued an order saying Ørsted needed to halt ongoing work on Revolution Wind and that "you may not resume activities until BOEM informs you that BOEM has completed its necessary review."

• The bureau cited, among things, unspecified "concerns related to the protection of national security interests."
• The Biden administration in 2023 approved the project, which would provide power to 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

The other side: Ørsted said in a statement that it "is evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously."

• That includes talks with permitting agencies "as well as through potential legal proceedings" with the goal of starting commercial operations in the second half of 2026.
• It noted the project is 80% complete, with all offshore foundations installed along with 45 of 65 wind turbines.

Catch up fast: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in April halted work on Equinor's $5 billion Empire Wind farm off New York's coast. But he reversed the decision after lobbying from Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with response from Ørsted.