Federal courts continue to reject the Trump administration’s efforts to pause major offshore wind projects along the U.S. East Coast. On Monday, Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction allowing the Sunrise Wind project, developed by Danish energy company Ørsted off New York, to resume construction.
This marks the fifth consecutive legal victory for wind developers challenging federal suspensions. The Trump Interior Department had halted projects citing national security concerns, but courts found the explanations insufficient to justify stopping work entirely.
The Sunrise Wind project is nearly 50% complete, with 44 of 84 turbine foundations installed. Court filings indicate that delays cost over $1 million per day, with similar financial impacts on other projects, including Empire Wind (New York), Revolution Wind (Rhode Island and Connecticut), Vineyard Wind (Massachusetts), and the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, the largest in the United States, losing over $5 million per day during the pause.
Judge Lamberth noted that continued suspension would cause “irreparable harm,” underscoring the importance of maintaining construction timelines. Developers also emphasized the risk of losing access to specialized ships and equipment needed to complete the projects.
Industry analysts warn that prolonged delays could increase costs for consumers and slow the rollout of clean energy. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis projected that stopping these projects could add billions to electricity costs while keeping renewable power offline.
With court rulings consistently favoring developers, East Coast offshore wind projects are now moving forward, signaling a significant win for renewable energy expansion in the United States.
