Connecticut and Rhode Island are taking legal action to restart the 700-MW Revolution Wind offshore project after the Trump administration issued a stop-work order in August 2025. The attorneys general from both states filed for an injunction in federal court, arguing the nearly complete wind farm is “real, fully permitted, and nearly complete” at 80% construction progress. The project was set to supply clean energy to both states.
Legal battle over offshore wind project
Connecticut and Rhode Island’s Democratic attorneys general seek a court order to allow Revolution Wind construction to restart immediately, according to Canary Media. The attorneys general for Connecticut and Rhode Island on Wednesday requested an injunction to lift the Trump administration’s stop-work order for the 700-MW Revolution Wind project, which is 80% complete and set to supply energy to both states.
“In the face of an exhaustive record showing that the Project has been vetted through every layer of the federal and state regulatory process, and despite the States’ and others’ deep reliance interests, the federal government has arbitrarily reversed course and issued a Stop Work Order without explanation,” the states said in their complaint filed with the federal district court in Rhode Island, according to Utility Dive.
Project nears completion despite halt
Connecticut and Rhode Island argued in their motion for the injunction that Revolution Wind is “real, fully permitted, and nearly complete” — approximately 80% finished overall, with all offshore foundations installed and around 70% of its turbines ready. The states said the supportive infrastructure is also far along, with 90% of physical construction at the mainland interconnection site “substantially completed.”
One of two offshore wind utility substations has been installed, and 84 out of 85 miles of utility export cable have been installed. The wind farm’s construction was set to wrap up in 2026. The project is owned jointly by Ørsted and Global Infrastructure Partners, which purchased Eversource Energy’s 50% share last year. Though Eversource sold its stake, the company was placed on “rating watch negative” by Fitch Ratings on Monday due to its remaining cost obligations to the endangered project.
Financial implications mount
Ørsted announced Monday that it will offer shares at a deep discount in a rights issue to raise $9.4 billion, saying in a company announcement that the stop work order against Revolution Wind had “further [emphasized] the need to strengthen the company’s capital structure.”
“While in some types of construction, delays of weeks could be mitigated or might be compensable, Ørsted has explained that a delay beyond September 22, 2025 imperils the entire project and threatens unsustainable losses for the company,” Connecticut and Rhode Island said in their filing. The states also noted that the collapse of the project would mean the “significant time and money” the States spent identifying, selecting, and authorizing Revolution Wind would be wasted.
Trump administration defends authority
The Trump administration argued that it has a statutory right to reevaluate all offshore wind projects under construction due to a Jan. 21 executive order from President Donald Trump, which mandated a halt on new offshore wind construction and a review of existing construction. The executive order asserted “various alleged legal deficiencies underlying” the federal government’s leasing and permitting of wind projects during the previous Biden administration.
“[W]hen, as here, Congress grants an agency the power to approve an action under certain factors, the agency necessarily maintains the inherent authority to temporarily stop implementation of the approved action where the agency has concerns about statutory compliance,” it said.
The legal battle over Revolution Wind represents a critical test case for offshore wind development under the Trump administration’s renewed scrutiny of renewable energy projects. With billions in investments and state energy commitments at stake, the court’s decision could determine whether nearly completed offshore wind projects can proceed or face indefinite delays.