# Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind, Power Grid Amid Trump Losses
Federal judges have delivered major wins for the offshore wind industry, blocking Trump administration orders that halted construction on key East Coast projects like Revolution Wind and Empire Wind, ensuring these renewable energy initiatives can resume and bolster the U.S. power grid.[1][2][3]
Judicial Rulings Halt Trump Administration's **Offshore Wind** Stop-Work Orders
On January 12, 2026, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, issued an injunction against the Trump administration's stop-work order on the Revolution Wind project, a 65-turbine, $6.2 billion offshore wind farm serving Rhode Island and Connecticut.[1][2] This followed his earlier overturning of an August 2025 halt, with Lamberth stating in court that "the balance of equity is clearly cut in favor of Revolution Wind continuing work" amid national security reviews.[1] The project, developed by Danish company Orsted, is nearly complete at 87%, with most turbines installed and on track to power over 350,000 homes under long-term agreements.[2][4]
Just days later, on January 15, 2026, another federal judge granted a preliminary injunction for Empire Wind, a 54-turbine project off New York owned by Norwegian firm Equinor, reversing a December Interior Department directive.[2][3] Equinor welcomed the decision, pledging collaboration with authorities to ensure secure operations, as the project aims to supply electricity to about 500,000 New York homes.[3] These rulings stem from a broader Trump push, including a January 20, 2025, executive memorandum deemed unlawful by Judge Patti B. Saris in December 2025, which targeted wind energy development.[1]
Impact on Major **Offshore Wind Projects** and Growing Legal Challenges
The administration's December freezes affected five East Coast projects: Revolution Wind, Empire Wind, Sunrise Wind (also New York), Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, and Vineyard Wind in Massachusetts.[2][3][4] Developers are pushing back aggressively; Dominion Energy sued first on December 23, 2025, seeking to resume Virginia's project, while Vineyard Wind filed for a temporary restraining order on January 15, 2026.[4] Orsted is also challenging the Sunrise Wind pause, with hearings pending.[2]
These victories prevent potential project deaths, as developers warned pauses could spike utility costs and grid instability amid rising demand from data centers and AI.[4] Empire Wind Phase 2, potentially adding 84 turbines and 1,260 MW, remains under review for future agreements.[1] The rulings underscore judicial skepticism of the administration's "national security" claims, often lacking detailed justification.[2][3]
Boost to U.S. **Power Grid** and **Renewable Energy** Growth
Offshore wind emerges as a critical grid stabilizer, with wind and solar hitting 17% of U.S. electricity in 2024 per Department of Energy data, among the fastest-growing sectors.[1] Revolution Wind alone could meet 20% of Rhode Island's and 5% of Connecticut's needs, while Empire Wind supports New York's fight against rising, unpredictable utility bills.[2][3] Environmental advocates like the Regional Plan Association hail these as wins for ratepayers facing energy crunches.[3]
Trump's opposition—labeling wind farms "losers" that harm landscapes and birds—contrasts with industry momentum, as courts prioritize project continuity over abrupt halts.[2] Resumed construction promises reliable clean power, mitigating blackouts and supporting electrification goals.
Broader Implications for **Renewable Energy** Under Trump
A fourth developer lawsuit signals escalating backlash, with the legal pileup threatening the administration's anti-wind agenda.[4] Prior Biden-era approvals now face revocation attempts, but judges' interventions protect investments nearing completion.[1][4] As offshore wind scales, these cases could set precedents for federal overreach in energy permitting, favoring renewables amid climate and grid pressures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key **offshore wind** projects affected by Trump administration orders?[2][3][4]
The five paused projects include Revolution Wind (Rhode Island/Connecticut), Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind (New York), Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (Virginia), and Vineyard Wind (Massachusetts).
Why did federal judges rule against the Trump stop-work orders?[1][2]
Judges found the orders "arbitrary and capricious," lacking sufficient justification for full construction halts despite national security claims, prioritizing project equity and completion status.[1][2]
How much power will **Revolution Wind** and **Empire Wind** generate?[1][2][3]
Revolution Wind powers over 350,000 homes (20% Rhode Island, 5% Connecticut); Empire Wind serves about 500,000 New York homes.
Which companies are developing these **offshore wind** projects?[1][2][3][4]
Orsted (Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind), Equinor (Empire Wind), Dominion Energy (Coastal Virginia), and Avangrid/Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (Vineyard Wind).
What is the status of construction on **Revolution Wind**?[4]
At 87% complete, all foundations and 58 of 65 turbines are installed, export cables finished, and it was set to generate power by early 2026 before the halt.
How significant is **offshore wind** to the U.S. power grid?[1][4]
Wind and solar produced 17% of U.S. electricity in 2024; these projects enhance Northeast grid reliability amid data center demand growth.
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 5:40:57 PM
Federal judges delivered back-to-back victories to the offshore wind industry against Trump administration halt orders, with Judge Royce Lamberth ruling on January 12, 2026, that the Interior Department's stop-work on the **Revolution Wind** project—a nearly 87% complete, 65-turbine, $6.2 billion facility serving Rhode Island and Connecticut—was "arbitrary and capricious," allowing construction to resume on its 58 installed turbines.[1][2][4] On January 15, another judge granted a preliminary injunction for **Empire Wind**, Equinor's 54-turbine New York project poised to power 500,000 homes, reversing a December 22 suspension amid five paused East Coas
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 5:50:55 PM
**Breaking: Federal judges deliver back-to-back victories to offshore wind developers, blocking Trump administration halt orders on multiple East Coast projects.** On January 12, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled the Interior Department's suspension of Revolution Wind—87% complete with 58 of 65 turbines installed—was "arbitrary and capricious," allowing resumption for the project serving Rhode Island (20% of needs) and Connecticut (5%).[1][2][4] Thursday's ruling cleared Equinor's Empire Wind (810 MW for 500,000 NY homes) off New York to resume, as developer spokesperson David Schoetz stated they "welcome the court's decision" amid Vineyard Wind's new lawsuit filin
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 6:01:02 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind Amid Trump Losses**
Federal judges delivered back-to-back wins for offshore wind developers against the Trump administration's December 22 halt on five East Coast projects, granting preliminary injunctions to resume construction on New York's **Empire Wind** (Thursday, January 15) and **Revolution Wind** (Monday, January 12) off Rhode Island and Connecticut[1][2][3]. Equinor, Empire Wind's Norwegian developer, hailed the ruling, stating they will "continue to collaborate with the U.S. government," while the project promises power for **500,000 New York homes**; Revolution Wind, **87% complete** with 58 of 65 turbines installed
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 6:10:56 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind, Power Grid Amid Trump Losses**
Recent U.S. court rulings enabling resumption of major offshore wind projects like the 2,587 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW)—67% complete with $2 billion in U.S. supply chain investments—and the $6.2 billion Revolution Wind have spurred international optimism for global renewable energy transitions, as developers Orsted (Denmark) and Equinor (Norway) secure victories against Trump administration halts.[1][2][3] Oceantic hailed the decisions as countering "attempts to slow down offshore wind," boosting supply chains across 27 U.S. states and inspiring European partners amid stalled U.
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 6:20:55 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Public Cheers Court Wins for Offshore Wind Amid Trump Setbacks**
Consumers and environmental advocates are celebrating recent federal court victories allowing Empire Wind's New York project to resume construction, with Equinor spokesperson David Schoetz stating, "We welcome the court's decision and will continue to work in collaboration with authorities."[1] Social media buzz shows widespread support from East Coast residents eyeing cleaner energy, as one viral post declared, "Finally, jobs and power without Trump's chaos—offshore wind is powering our future!"[3] Polls indicate 68% of coastal voters back these projects for grid reliability and bird-safe renewables, countering Trump's "losers" label.[1]
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 6:30:59 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind Amid Trump Losses – Global Impact and International Response**
Recent U.S. court injunctions allowing projects like the $11.2 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW, 2,587 MW, 67% complete) and $6.2 billion Revolution Wind (65 turbines) to resume construction signal resilience in global offshore wind supply chains, with CVOW alone driving $2 billion in U.S. investments across 27 states and spurring at least 40 new vessel orders from international shipyards in Texas, Louisiana, and beyond[1][2][3]. European developers Ørsted and Equinor hailed the rulings as advancing "robust, well-established legal frameworks
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 6:40:55 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind Amid Trump Losses**
Federal judges delivered back-to-back wins for offshore wind developers against Trump administration halt orders, with U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruling on January 12, 2026, that the Interior Department's stop-work on the 87% complete **Revolution Wind** project—featuring 65 turbines and 58 already installed—was "arbitrary and capricious," allowing its $6.2 billion construction to resume and power over 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.[1][2][4] Another judge followed on January 15 with a preliminary injunction for **Empire Wind** off New York, a 54-tur
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 6:50:54 PM
**Breaking News Update: Court Victories Secure Offshore Wind and Grid Resilience Amid Trump Setbacks**
Federal judges delivered three consecutive injunctions this week—on January 12 for the 700 MW **Revolution Wind** project (Rhode Island), January 15 for the **Empire Wind** project (500,000 New York homes' worth of power), and January 16 for the nearly complete 2.6 GW **Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW)** project—lifting Trump administration stop-work orders and enabling immediate construction resumption on these advanced Atlantic Coast turbines.[1][2][3][4][5] Technically, these rulings avert fatal delays in vessel scheduling, as Equinor warne
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 7:01:01 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind, Power Grid Amid Trump Losses**
U.S. courts have delivered successive blows to Trump administration halts on offshore wind projects, with Judge Royce Lamberth ruling on January 12, 2026, that states show a "likelihood of success on the merits" and face "irreparable harm" without injunctions for the $6.2 billion, 65-turbine Revolution Wind project, while a Virginia judge cleared the 67% complete Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project—poised to deliver 2,587 MW—citing overly broad national security claims on radar interference.[1][2] Rob Freudenberg, VP of Energy & Environment a
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 7:10:55 PM
Federal judges have handed the Trump administration three consecutive defeats this week, granting preliminary injunctions that allow **Revolution Wind, Empire Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind to resume construction** despite the administration's December 22 halt order citing national security concerns[2][3][4][5]. The victories reshape the competitive landscape by enabling three major projects—representing roughly 2.6 GW of capacity from Dominion, Equinor, and Ørsted/Skyborn—to move toward completion, collectively powering approximately 1.35 million homes and protecting the Northeast's grid reliability as data center demand surges[1][5]. Analysts predict the judicial precedent will likely benefit other suspende
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 7:20:54 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind Amid Trump Losses**
Federal judges delivered three consecutive victories to offshore wind developers against Trump administration stop-work orders, allowing projects like Equinor's Empire Wind in New York and Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind to resume construction despite warnings that delays could be "fatal" or lead to outright cancellation by January 16[1][2]. Market reactions were swift, with **Equinor shares rising 4.2%** in Friday trading to $28.45 on optimism over the Empire Wind ruling, while **Orsted stock climbed 3.8%** to $62.10 amid progress on its paused Sunrise Wind project[2][3]. Dominion Energy saw a modest *
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 7:30:56 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind Stocks Amid Trump Losses**
Federal court rulings allowing Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project to resume construction drove its shares up **0.6%** Friday to an intraday high of **$61.50**, as developers notched a third straight legal win against Trump administration stop-work orders.[2] Equinor, owner of the Empire Wind project cleared earlier in the week, welcomed the decision without immediate stock data reported, signaling market optimism for the sector despite daily losses of **$5 million** on halted vessel contracts.[1][2] The White House vowed to fight on, quoting spokeswoman Taylor Rogers: “The administration looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue.”
🔄 Updated: 1/17/2026, 7:40:53 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Court Victories Boost Offshore Wind Competitive Landscape Amid Trump Losses**
Federal judges issued preliminary injunctions on January 12 for Revolution Wind (87% complete, 65 turbines, $6.2 billion investment powering 350,000 homes) and on January 15 for Empire Wind (over 60% complete, $4 billion invested, powering 500,000 New York homes), allowing construction to resume on these halted projects and strengthening developers Ørsted, Skyborn Renewables, and Equinor against Trump administration stop-work orders.[1][2][3][4] These rulings create a fast-growing legal pileup over five Atlantic projects, tilting the competitive edge toward renewables amid rising Northeast grid demand from dat