A U.S. federal judge has granted an injunction allowing Orsted to resume work on its 704-megawatt Revolution Wind offshore project, temporarily halting a stop-work order issued by the Trump administration in August.
Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court ruled in favor of Orsted, stating in his decision that the company “has demonstrated likelihood of success on the merits of its underlying claims,” and added that the developer is “likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction.” The court found that the balance of equities supported Orsted’s position and that “maintaining the status quo by granting the injunction is in the public interest.”
Construction on Revolution Wind had been paused since August 22, when the federal government issued a stop-work directive. Orsted disclosed earlier this month that the halt was costing the company approximately $15 million per week.
Following the court’s decision, Orsted said in a statement that it would “resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority.” The underlying legal challenge over the stop-work order remains ongoing in federal court.
Industry groups and state officials welcomed the ruling, citing its impact on workers and regional energy goals.
“Today’s decision allowing work to resume on Revolution Wind is welcome news for the hundreds of skilled workers who can now return to their jobs while the legal process continues,” said Liz Burdock, president of offshore wind trade group Oceantic Network. “Revolution Wind is critical to securing New England’s electric grid, lowering energy costs for businesses and families, strengthening the local supply chain, and achieving energy independence.”
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont also praised the decision. “Today’s ruling allowing Revolution Wind to resume work is extremely encouraging for workers and our energy future,” Lamont said. “We will continue to engage with the federal government on a durable path forward for this project and on shared energy priorities.”
The Revolution Wind project is a joint development between Orsted and Eversource. It is expected to provide power to Rhode Island and Connecticut once operational.
