The Trump administration dropped the hammer Friday on Ørsted’s controversial Revolution Wind project, ordering an immediate stop to all construction just 15 miles south of Rhode Island.
The massive 704-megawatt wind farm — already 80% built with 45 of 65 turbines standing in the Atlantic — was supposed to power 350,000 homes by 2026. Now it’s dead in the water.
In a letter to the Danish energy giant, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said work must stop while the Department of the Interior reviews “national security” and “environmental” concerns. Acting BOEM Director Matthew Giacona made clear the feds aren’t budging until those issues are resolved.
The decision marks a stunning reversal for the Biden-approved project, long slammed by fishermen, coastal communities, and environmentalists who warned the turbines would devastate marine life. The site sits near Cox Ledge — prime cod habitat — and critics have blamed offshore wind construction for a surge in dead whales along the East Coast. NOAA has even declared an “Unusual Mortality Event” for humpbacks.
Local fishermen celebrated the pause, saying the project threatened their livelihoods. Coastal advocates hailed the move as a huge victory in protecting waters, wildlife, and Rhode Island’s iconic shoreline.
Ørsted, reeling from financial losses and a $9.4 billion bailout plan, said it is “evaluating all options,” including possible legal action.
For now, the turbines are frozen in place — and so are the dreams of Big Wind.
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