Court Prevents Trump from Stopping Final Offshore Wind Project Suspension

All five offshore wind projects that were halted by the Trump administration in December can now resume construction, following a federal judge’s ruling on Monday. This decision clears the way for Denmark’s Orsted to proceed with its Sunrise Wind project, located off the coast of New York.

Orsted’s request for an injunction to block the Interior Department’s order was the fifth such appeal made by an offshore wind developer since the December 22 pause on five leases. The Interior Department had halted work on these multi-billion-dollar facilities due to national security concerns regarding radar interference.

An Interior Department spokesperson stated that the agency would not comment on pending litigation.

In a statement, Orsted announced that it would resume work immediately while continuing to challenge the Interior’s stop-work order in court. The company emphasized its commitment to finding a resolution by cooperating with the U.S. administration.

To date, Orsted has invested or committed over $7 billion to the Sunrise Wind project. The company’s attorneys argued during the hearing that if the stop-work order is not lifted by February 6, the project risks losing access to a specialized vessel essential for completing the installation of an offshore cable.

This argument echoed those made at four other hearings in recent weeks. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth noted, “Every court to review this question has now found that the loss of specialized vessels and resulting delays amounts to irreparable harm. I agree,” before granting Orsted’s request.

In January, Lamberth also granted an injunction for Orsted’s Revolution Wind project, located off the coast of Rhode Island.

During the proceedings, an attorney for the Justice Department argued that the suspension was warranted due to new, classified information regarding national security risks associated with the operation of offshore wind farms.

Offshore wind developers have faced ongoing disruptions under the Trump administration, which has expressed negative views about wind turbines, describing them as ugly, expensive, and inefficient.

Analyst Jacob Pedersen from Denmark’s Sydbank highlighted that political risks remain elevated. He noted, “Even with the lifting of the construction freeze, there is an imminent risk that Sunrise Wind will face a very difficult and turbulent period in relation to the Trump administration’s obstruction,” in a client note.

Located 30 miles east of Long Island, New York, Sunrise Wind is currently about 45% complete, according to Orsted. Once operational, the project is expected to generate enough power to supply nearly 600,000 homes, with an anticipated start date as early as October.

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington and Nichola Groom in San Marino, California; Additional reporting by Essi Lehto in Helsinki; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Diane Craft)

All five offshore wind projects that were halted by the Trump administration in December can now resume construction, following a federal judge’s ruling on Monday. This decision clears the way for Denmark’s Orsted to proceed with its Sunrise Wind project, located off the coast of New York.

Orsted’s request for an injunction to block the Interior Department’s order was the fifth such appeal made by an offshore wind developer since the December 22 pause on five leases. The Interior Department had halted work on these multi-billion-dollar facilities due to national security concerns regarding radar interference.

An Interior Department spokesperson stated that the agency would not comment on pending litigation.

In a statement, Orsted announced that it would resume work immediately while continuing to challenge the Interior’s stop-work order in court. The company emphasized its commitment to finding a resolution by cooperating with the U.S. administration.

To date, Orsted has invested or committed over $7 billion to the Sunrise Wind project. The company’s attorneys argued during the hearing that if the stop-work order is not lifted by February 6, the project risks losing access to a specialized vessel essential for completing the installation of an offshore cable.

This argument echoed those made at four other hearings in recent weeks. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth noted, “Every court to review this question has now found that the loss of specialized vessels and resulting delays amounts to irreparable harm. I agree,” before granting Orsted’s request.

In January, Lamberth also granted an injunction for Orsted’s Revolution Wind project, located off the coast of Rhode Island.

During the proceedings, an attorney for the Justice Department argued that the suspension was warranted due to new, classified information regarding national security risks associated with the operation of offshore wind farms.

Offshore wind developers have faced ongoing disruptions under the Trump administration, which has expressed negative views about wind turbines, describing them as ugly, expensive, and inefficient.

Analyst Jacob Pedersen from Denmark’s Sydbank highlighted that political risks remain elevated. He noted, “Even with the lifting of the construction freeze, there is an imminent risk that Sunrise Wind will face a very difficult and turbulent period in relation to the Trump administration’s obstruction,” in a client note.

Located 30 miles east of Long Island, New York, Sunrise Wind is currently about 45% complete, according to Orsted. Once operational, the project is expected to generate enough power to supply nearly 600,000 homes, with an anticipated start date as early as October.

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington and Nichola Groom in San Marino, California; Additional reporting by Essi Lehto in Helsinki; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Diane Craft)