A significant legal battle is unfolding in the United States as offshore wind developers and coastal states file lawsuits against the Trump administration. The action follows an executive order to suspend all work on five major offshore wind farms under construction off the East Coast for a minimum of 90 days.
Developers Cite Billions at Risk and Project 'Termination'
The legal challenges, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, argue the suspension is arbitrary and threatens the viability of multi-billion-pound investments. The Norwegian energy giant Equinor and Danish firm Orsted are the latest to sue, joining Dominion Energy Virginia which filed first.
Equinor, through its Empire Wind LLC entity, has requested expedited court consideration, warning that its New York project faces "likely termination" if construction cannot resume by 16 January 2026. The company stated the order disrupts a precise construction schedule reliant on specialised vessels, incurring massive delay costs and posing an existential threat to its financing.
Similarly, Orsted, developer of the Sunrise Wind project, is asking a judge to overturn the order. The firm highlighted it has spent billions based on valid federal permits and noted that in weekly meetings throughout 2025 with the Coast Guard and other agencies, no national security concerns were ever raised.
States Decry 'Arbitrary' Order and Soaring Energy Costs
The states of Connecticut and Rhode Island have jointly filed for a preliminary injunction to allow work on the Revolution Wind project to continue. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong condemned the administration's move, stating it lacks evidence and directly impacts consumers.
"Every day this project is stalled costs us hundreds of thousands of dollars in inflated energy bills when families are in dire need of relief," Tong said. "Revolution Wind was vetted and approved, and the Trump administration has yet to disclose a shred of evidence to counter that thorough and careful process."
The administration's order, announced on 22 December 2025, paused leases for five projects citing unspecified national security concerns. Interior Department spokesperson Matt Middleton called the pause a "decisive step to protect America’s security" and prevent conflicts with military operations.
A Pattern of Disruption for Renewable Energy Projects
This is not the first time the Trump administration has halted these specific projects. In April 2025, it stopped construction on Empire Wind, accusing the prior Biden administration of rushing permits, before allowing work to resume a month later. Furthermore, work on the nearly complete Revolution Wind was paused on 22 August 2025 for similar national security reasons, only for a federal judge to allow it to restart a month later citing irreparable harm to the developers.
The five projects affected by the current freeze are:
- Empire Wind (New York)
- Sunrise Wind (New York)
- Vineyard Wind (Massachusetts)
- Revolution Wind (Rhode Island and Connecticut)
- Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (Virginia)
While most developers are now challenging the order, the joint owners of Vineyard Wind, Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, have not yet publicly indicated if they will join the lawsuits. The outcome of these legal proceedings will have significant implications for the future of renewable energy and energy security policy in the United States.
