Offshore wind developers Equinor and Ørsted, along with Dominion Energy Virginia and the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island, have filed lawsuits after the administration suspended leases for five major East Coast projects on Dec. 22, citing unspecified national security concerns. Developers say the pause threatens financing and tightly scheduled construction—Empire Wind warns it could be terminated if work does not resume by Jan. 16. The legal battles will test federal authority, national security claims and the future of large-scale U.S. offshore wind investment.
Developers and States Sue After Administration Freezes Five East Coast Offshore Wind Projects
FILE - Wind turbine bases, generators and blades sit at The Portsmouth Marine terminal that is the staging area for Dominion Energy Virginia, which is developing Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Dec. 22, 2025, in Portsmouth, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Offshore wind developers and two states have moved quickly to challenge a federal suspension of leases for five major East Coast projects, saying the pause threatens financing, construction schedules and the future of U.S. offshore wind investment.
Who’s Suing: Norwegian energy company Equinor and Danish firm Ørsted filed civil suits through the limited liability companies that hold their project leases. Dominion Energy Virginia was the first developer to sue, and the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island have sought a preliminary injunction to allow work to continue on Revolution Wind.
FILE - The logo for the Danish company Orsted is displayed on the exterior of the Avedore Power Station in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Aug. 19, 2025. (Sebastian Elias Uth/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Administration Cites National Security; Offers Few Details
The administration announced on Dec. 22 that it would suspend leases for at least 90 days on five offshore wind projects, citing national security and military-readiness concerns but providing no public specifics. Interior Department spokesperson Matt Middleton said the pause was intended to "protect America’s security, prevent conflicts with military readiness and maritime operations and ensure responsible stewardship of our oceans."
Developers Say the Pause Harms Projects
Equinor, owner of the Empire Wind project, asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to expedite review, warning that Empire Wind faces "likely termination" if construction cannot resume by Jan. 16. Equinor says the suspension disrupts a tightly choreographed schedule dependent on specialized vessels with limited availability, creating delay costs and threatening project financing.
FILE - A sign for the company Equinor is displayed on Oct. 28, 2020, in Fornebu, Norway. (Håkon Mosvold Larsen/NTB Scanpix via AP, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Ørsted, owner of Sunrise Wind and a partner on Revolution Wind, has asked a judge to vacate and set aside the order. Ørsted says it has invested billions based on federally issued permits and that its teams met regularly with the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies in 2025 without national security objections being raised.
States and Utilities Push Back
Connecticut and Rhode Island filed to keep Revolution Wind moving, arguing interruption raises energy costs and delays promised consumer benefits. "Every day this project is stalled costs us hundreds of thousands of dollars in inflated energy bills when families are in dire need of relief," Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said in a statement.
FILE - Wind turbine blades sit at The Portsmouth Marine terminal that is the staging area for Dominion Energy Virginia, which is developing Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Dec. 22, 2025, in Portsmouth, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Dominion Energy Virginia, developer of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, called the suspension "arbitrary and capricious" and is asking a court to block the pause as unconstitutional. Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, co-owners of Vineyard Wind, have not publicly announced whether they will join litigation.
Legal Context and Recent History
The administration previously imposed pauses or raised objections at different points on some of these projects earlier in the year; those actions were also met with legal challenges. Courts have at times found that developers faced irreparable harm and allowed work to resume pending litigation. The current round of filings sets up a fast-moving legal showdown over federal authority, national security assertions and billions of dollars in private investment.
Why It Matters: The outcome will affect not only the five projects directly involved but also investor confidence and the trajectory of large-scale offshore wind development along the U.S. East Coast.
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