In a seemingly endless war against American wind energy, President Donald Trump has struck another blow with an order to halt offshore construction of Ørsted and Global Infrastructure Partner’s (GIP) Revolution Wind project. The move freezes progress on one of the country’s most advanced offshore wind farms, despite being more than 80 percent complete and fully permitted under federal and state regulations.

According to the company, on August 22, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a stop-work order to Revolution Wind LLC — a 50/50 joint venture between Ørsted and GIP’s Skyborn Renewables — instructing the project to suspend all activities on the outer continental shelf.

A project near completion

Revolution Wind had already installed all foundations and 45 of its planned 65 turbines. Once complete, the project is set to deliver 704 megawatts of clean power — 400 MW to Rhode Island and 304 MW to Connecticut — enough to supply electricity to more than 350,000 homes.

Ørsted confirmed it is complying with the directive while “taking appropriate steps to ensure the safety of workers and the environment,” but said it is now evaluating legal and regulatory options to resolve the matter swiftly. The company warned the suspension could impact its recently announced rights issue plan.

Industry condemnation

Industry leaders reacted sharply. The American Clean Power Association (ACP) called the order “a broken promise to the communities, workers, consumers, and businesses counting on this project.” CEO Jason Grumet said the decision sends “a clear message to investors that the U.S. is no longer a reliable place for long-term energy investments.”

More than 1,000 union workers have already logged two million hours on Revolution Wind, which is part of Ørsted’s broader U.S. investment portfolio that includes grid upgrades, port infrastructure, and shipbuilding across more than 40 states.

Despite nine years of regulatory review and the project’s compliance with all permitting requirements, the Trump administration has offered no public explanation for the sudden suspension.