Judge grants injunction allowing Revolution Wind to resume construction

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The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today granted the preliminary injunction sought by Ørsted’s Revolution Wind regarding the BOEM stop-work order imposed in August.

The injunction allows Revolution Wind, LLC to restart impacted activities while the underlying lawsuit challenging the stop-work order progresses.

Revolution Wind says that it will continue to seek to work collaboratively with the U.S. Administration and other stakeholders toward a prompt resolution.

It adds that it will resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority.

Ørsted’s subsidiary Revolution Wind, a 50/50 joint venture with Global Infrastructure Partners’ Skyborn Renewables, is constructing the Revolution Wind offshore wind project.  

Reuters reports that U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued the preliminary injunction after a two-hour hearing and that Lamberth, a senior judge appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan, said the Trump administration had offered contradictory reasons for issuing its stop work order, and that the explanations offered weeks after the halt were “the height of arbitrary and capricious” government conduct.

According to Reuters, he also said Revolution Wind had reasonably relied on government assurances that were withdrawn without due process, imperiling a $5 billion investment.

“Today’s ruling allowing Revolution Wind to resume work is extremely encouraging for workers and our energy future,” said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. “We will continue to engage with the federal government on a durable path forward for this project and on shared energy priorities.”