Trump Administration Pauses Revolution Wind; Connecticut Leaders Push Back

The nearly finished Revolution Wind offshore wind farm, off the coasts of Connecticut and Rhode Island, has hit a wall. The Trump administration suddenly paused key federal leases, pointing to national security concerns.

The project is about 85% built and was expected to power hundreds of thousands of homes from New London to Hartford. Connecticut officials are furious, calling the move unlawful, political, and risky for both ratepayers and jobs.

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Revolution Wind Put on Hold Over National Security Claims

The U.S. Department of the Interior halted federal leases tied to Revolution Wind. They’re coordinating with the Department of Defense and others to reassess possible interference with military radar from five offshore wind projects along the East Coast, including Revolution Wind.

A Nearly Complete Project Suddenly in Limbo

Revolution Wind is a 704-megawatt offshore wind farm in federal waters between Rhode Island and Connecticut. Construction picked up again in October after a federal judge tossed out an earlier stop-work order from a previous Trump-era attempt to block it.

Turbines now rise off the coast, visible from towns like Groton and Stonington. But with the lease pause, final work could stall.

Ørsted, the developer, says the project is about 85% done and still aiming for completion in the second half of 2026. They’re following the pause for now and weighing their legal and regulatory options.

What Revolution Wind Means for Connecticut

For Connecticut, Revolution Wind isn’t just another green project. It’s a big piece of the state’s long-term energy and economic plans.

Leaders from Bridgeport to New Haven have called it a major step toward cleaner power and lower bills. They see it as a win for both the environment and the economy.

Powering Homes and Cutting Costs

Once it’s online, Revolution Wind should generate enough electricity for about 325,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Residents in places like Waterbury, Stamford, and the smaller shoreline towns along Long Island Sound could see a more stable energy mix, less tied to wild swings in fossil fuel prices.

State officials say the project will:

Save ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars over 20 years

Provide long-term price stability for electricity

Support more than 2,500 jobs nationwide, including plenty in Connecticut’s maritime and construction sectors

From port jobs in New London to support services reaching into central Connecticut, the economic ripple effect is real. It’s one of the main reasons state leaders keep pushing for it.

Fierce Pushback from Connecticut Leaders

The administration’s decision drew immediate, sharp backlash from Connecticut’s political leaders. They argue the pause defies earlier legal rulings and military reviews.

Attorney General Tong: “Lawless and Erratic”

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong blasted the lease pause as a “lawless and erratic” attempt to dodge a court order that already blocked a previous Trump-era effort to halt the project. Tong says the federal action seems less about true national security and more like an attack on offshore wind as a policy.

Gov. Ned Lamont agreed, calling the pause anti-business. He warns it puts energy affordability and economic stability at risk for families and employers, from manufacturers in Danbury to tech companies in Hartford.

Congressional Delegation Cites Prior Defense Findings

Connecticut’s Democratic congressional delegation also chimed in. They point to earlier Defense Department findings that Revolution Wind doesn’t pose a national security threat.

Rep. Joseph Courtney and Sen. Richard Blumenthal argue the renewed pause is political. They warn the decision could:

Increase electricity costs for Connecticut residents

Waste billions in private and public investment

Eliminate good-paying union jobs tied to construction and long-term maintenance

They also say that a last-minute reversal on a nearly finished project sends a bad signal to clean energy developers thinking about investing in Connecticut’s ports and coastal infrastructure.

What Comes Next for Offshore Wind in Connecticut?

For now, Ørsted is honoring the lease pause but still aiming for a 2026 in-service date. Every week of delay adds more uncertainty for workers, suppliers, and towns that have ramped up to support offshore wind from places like New London Harbor.

A Test Case for Clean Energy Policy

The fate of Revolution Wind will test how federal policy, national security reviews, and court rulings collide with state-level clean energy goals. For Connecticut communities from Norwalk to Middletown, the outcome could shape whether offshore wind becomes a solid part of the state’s energy mix—or just another story of political meddling in big infrastructure projects.

Legal and regulatory fights are still happening. One thing’s clear: the turbines off the Atlantic are almost done.

Will they spin on schedule? That might depend as much on what happens in Washington, D.C., as on the winds blowing off the New England coast.

Here is the source article for this story: Trump administration pauses Revolution Wind again; CT leaders defend offshore energy project

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