The abrupt stop-work order issued last week for the nearly‑completed Revolution Wind offshore wind project came as a big surprise to the industry as most assumed projects already in construction would be safe from intervention by the US administration.
However, still, it is generally expected that the five offshore wind projects in construction (Sunrise Wind 1, Vineyard Wind, Empire Wind 1, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, and Revolution Wind, once the stop-work order is presumably lifted) will proceed and result in 5.9 GW coming online during Trump's presidency.
But apart from these five, three additional pipeline projects (SouthCoast Wind 1, England Wind 1, and US Wind) amounting to an extra 3.7 GW could also come online in the next years - provided that developers and offtake states dare to continue in the face of the Trump administration’s actions against offshore wind.
Following the approval of the Big Beautiful Bill, final contracts could theoretically be signed for SouthCoast Wind (1.2 GW) and New England Wind (0.8 GW). The projects provisionally won PPAs with Rhode Island and Massachusetts almost a year ago.
But will Massachusetts and Rhode Island be willing to bet on offshore wind again? And do developers dare to begin work on the projects? The more progressed the project, the more leverage a stop-work order gives Trump.
The same dilemma is likely being considered in Maryland with regards to US Wind's 1.7 GW project, but exacerbated by the news that the administration is looking to void the project’s COP approval. If that doesn’t succeed, will a stop-work order be next?
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