US Administration Seeks Reassessment of Permit for 704-Megawatt Wind Project
Key Facts
President Donald Trump’s administration asked a federal judge to return Revolution Wind’s approval to the Interior Department for reconsideration, in a legal move targeting the construction and operations plan permit for a 704-megawatt offshore wind farm. The Interior Department said the filing was made in compliance with the briefing schedule and did not announce a policy change. No ruling has been issued to revoke the approval, as the request remains pending before the judge. The dispute carries added significance because the project began sending electricity to the grid in March 2026. Through this request and other moves, the administration is seeking to revisit permits for offshore wind projects as Revolution Wind approaches full operation.
The wind farm is located about 15 nautical miles southeast of Point Judith off Rhode Island and serves Rhode Island and Connecticut. The project consists of 65 turbines, with the final turbine installation completed in September, after construction began in 2023. Its total generating capacity is 704 megawatts, and it is expected to enter full commercial operation in the second half of 2026. Ørsted said the project can provide electricity to more than 350,000 homes once complete. The project operates under 20-year long-term power purchase agreements with utilities in the two states and is a 50-50 joint venture between Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables.
Connecticut says its share of the project’s output will cover about 5% of the state’s total electricity demand. An analysis by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection estimated that the project would save electricity consumers in the state and New England half a billion dollars a year in power market costs by 2028. The state also estimated additional savings of between 150 and 200 million dollars on public benefits charges for Connecticut consumers over the 20-year period. These figures reflect local expectations for the project’s supply and cost at a time when its regulatory path faces a court challenge. The ongoing case means the permit’s status could remain under scrutiny as the project prepares to move to full operation.
Official approval of the construction and operations plan dates to November 17, 2023, when it was issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Before that, a joint record of decision was signed by three agencies on August 21, 2023. The current move asks for the approval to be returned to the Interior Department to reassess the agency’s compliance with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, according to details of the court filing cited in coverage. This differs from an effective revocation of the approval, as the judge has yet to rule on the request. The department said the latest filing complied with the briefing schedule and that its position on offshore wind energy had not changed.
The implications of requests to revisit permits extend beyond the project itself, as the Justice Department has asked courts to review permits for other offshore wind projects, without that necessarily resulting in rulings to revoke them. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse warned that the moves could derail a legislative effort to accelerate permitting. Senators reached a bipartisan agreement on a permitting bill in September, but it has not yet been put to a vote. Whitehouse said: "This is how you blow up a permitting deal." Ørsted is scheduled to provide further project updates during its earnings call on November 5.