In August 2025, with the project 80% complete, the Trump administration issued a stop-work order against Revolution Wind — an offshore wind farm being built off the coast of Rhode Island. Officials cited national security interests. Construction halted.
It was the second time the administration had tried to stop the project. And, as with the first, it didn't work.
In March 2026, Revolution Wind began delivering electricity to the New England power grid. Courts had repeatedly ruled against the stop-work orders. The turbines are turning. The power is flowing.
What Revolution Wind Is
Revolution Wind is a 704-megawatt offshore wind farm developed by Ørsted US Offshore Wind, located in the waters off the coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut. When fully operational — expected by mid-2026 — it will supply electricity for more than 350,000 homes across both states.
It is Rhode Island's first utility-scale offshore wind project, and one of the largest clean energy installations in New England's history.
The project is expected to save customers an estimated $500 million annually by displacing more expensive power sources — a significant benefit at a time when energy prices have risen due to global instability.
The Fight to Keep It Alive
The Trump administration's campaign against offshore wind began on the first day of the new term — an executive order in January 2025 halted new offshore wind leasing and permitting across the country. Revolution Wind, already under construction, became a direct target.
When the stop-work order landed in August 2025, the project's developer, Ørsted, joined with the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut to file legal challenges. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in September 2025, ruling that the stop-work order was "likely unlawful." Work resumed fully in October. In December, a coalition of challengers won another ruling, with a judge calling the administration's actions "arbitrary and capricious."
By March 2026, with the legal battles largely resolved and the construction near completion, Revolution Wind began its power deliveries — quietly, without ceremony, but unmistakably.
What It Means
Offshore wind in the United States has faced enormous political headwinds in recent years. Multiple projects were cancelled, delayed, or scaled back under federal pressure. The fact that Revolution Wind is now operating — despite sustained government opposition — sends a clear signal about the resilience of clean energy infrastructure when backed by contract law, state governments, and an independent judiciary.
Every freight train removes approximately 76 lorries from the road. Every offshore wind turbine displaces coal and gas at scale. Revolution Wind's 704 megawatts of capacity will eliminate millions of tonnes of carbon over its operational lifetime.
It was almost stopped. It wasn't. And the lights are on.
Sources: CT Public Radio, March 13, 2026 · CT Mirror, March 16, 2026 · USA Today, March 13, 2026 · RI Governor's Office · Wikipedia: Revolution Wind
