In a significant development for the offshore wind sector, Ørsted’s 924MW Sunrise Wind project has been cleared to resume work after a Washington, D.C. district court judge granted an injunction against the enforcement of a sweeping stop work order from the Trump administration’s Department of the Interior. Judge Royce Lamberth ruled from the bench that the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management did not, in classified material shown to the court, identify specific concerns related to the Sunrise Wind project.
Sunrise Wind is the last of five projects to secure an injunction preventing the enforcement of the shutdown order. The project was 45% complete when work was halted. Lawyers representing Sunrise Wind emphasized the urgency of the situation, particularly the potential loss of access to the Connector cable laying vessel, which had just arrived in Providence, Rhode Island, and was scheduled to begin laying the 80-mile export cable this week.
The Connector vessel has a contractual right to leave the project following a six-month campaign, Sunrise’s lawyers argued, and would not be available again until the third quarter of 2027. Alternate vessels would not be available on site until the end of 2026 and would still need to undergo an eight-month approval process. The start of export cable laying is a “critical inflection point” for the project, Sunrise lawyers continued, noting that preventing this work would create a cascading series of delays and increasing costs that could threaten the financial viability of the project.
Lawyers representing President Trump’s Department of the Interior argued that the court owes a level of deference to claims of risks to national security, which the government has cited as necessitating the shutdown.
This ruling could have far-reaching implications for the offshore wind sector. The decision to resume work on Sunrise Wind underscores the importance of timely project execution and the potential consequences of delays. The court’s willingness to challenge the government’s broad stop work order may set a precedent for future disputes, encouraging developers to push back against regulatory hurdles that could jeopardize project timelines and financial stability.
Moreover, the case highlights the critical role of specialized vessels in offshore wind projects. The unavailability of the Connector vessel and the lengthy approval process for alternate vessels underscore the need for better planning and coordination in the offshore wind supply chain. As the sector continues to grow, ensuring the availability of critical resources will be essential to meeting project deadlines and maintaining financial viability.
The ruling also raises questions about the balance between national security concerns and the need for renewable energy development. While the government has cited national security risks, the court’s decision suggests that these concerns must be clearly articulated and directly related to specific projects. This could lead to a more nuanced approach to regulating offshore wind projects, with a greater emphasis on transparency and evidence-based decision-making.
Overall, the Sunrise Wind case serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges inherent in offshore wind development. As the sector continues to evolve, stakeholders will need to navigate regulatory hurdles, supply chain constraints, and financial pressures to ensure the successful completion of projects. The ruling on Sunrise Wind may provide a roadmap for addressing these challenges and advancing the offshore wind sector in the United States.