A US judge in Washington has cleared the way for work to resume on the 704 MW Revolution Wind offshore wind farm after granting a temporary injunction that lifted the federal stop-work order imposed in August.
On 22 August, the US Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a stop-work order halting all offshore construction activities on the 704 MW project, which is already 80 per cent completed , according to its developers, Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables.
A few days later, the joint venture challenged the stop-work order in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, while Connecticut and Rhode Island filed their own lawsuits against the decision on the same day.
On 22 September, the court granted the preliminary injunction sought by Revolution Wind, allowing the developer to restart impacted activities while the underlying lawsuit challenging the stop-work order progresses.
“Revolution Wind will resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority,” according to Ørsted.
After the temporary injunction was granted, Oceantic Network’s CEO, Liz Burdock , said: “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.”
The 704 MW Revolution Wind offshore wind project is set to provide power to Connecticut and Rhode Island in 2026. According to Oceantic Network, the wind farm sparked investments in Louisiana and New England shipyards, purchased export cables from a South Carolina factory, and spurred a steel supply chain that crossed New York and created hundreds of union jobs in Providence, Rhode Island.
“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. This Made in America energy project is putting Americans to work building reliable, affordable power to communities across New England that desperately need it,” Liz Burdock added.