Thousands of Jobs at Risk as White House Halts Nearly Complete Wind Farm Project in Rhode Island

The impending threat of job losses looms as construction on a nearly completed wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island has been halted by the White House, marking another move against wind power by the current administration.

Danish clean energy company Ørsted, one of the project’s developers, received an immediate work stop order from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on a nearly completed wind project over the weekend. Acting BOEM Director Matthew Giacona cited “national security concerns” as the reason for the halt, without providing specific details.

Those involved in the project claim that ceasing construction not only poses higher energy costs for residents but also threatens thousands of jobs. Tory Mazzola, head of communications and public affairs for Ørsted Americas, stated on Monday that the stop-work order jeopardizes “more than 2,500 US jobs across construction, operations, shipbuilding, and manufacturing.” Hundreds more union workers were scheduled to work offshore before the year’s end, and all these jobs are now at risk.

BOEM declined further comment on job loss when asked about it. The White House referred inquiries back to the Interior Department, which oversees BOEM.

President Donald Trump, who has long criticized wind turbines, has taken numerous actions during his second term to undermine wind power. During a recent discussion on US energy, he stated, “Wind doesn’t work.”

Named Revolution Wind, the stalled project is situated 15 miles south of Rhode Island in federal waters and commenced construction under the Biden administration in 2023. If completed, Ørsted estimates that the project would provide enough energy to power upwards of 350,000 homes across Rhode Island and Connecticut. The project was scheduled for completion next year.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, criticized the decision in a Monday press conference, arguing that halting the project would harm the state’s economy and compromise regional grid reliability. Residents of Connecticut and Rhode Island rank third and fifth, respectively, in terms of residential electricity prices, according to the latest data from the US Energy Information Administration.

Local labor leaders also assert that the Trump administration is eliminating high-paying union jobs. Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, labeled the order a “betrayal” of Rhode Island’s working-class. Michael Sabitoni, president of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council, expressed concern about the administration’s signals but described cancelling a nearly completed project as an act of “recklessness.”

Sabitoni stated that Friday’s order didn’t come as a surprise but questioned the logic behind stopping a project that was 80% complete without any apparent reason. He described it as “one of the most asinine moves” he had ever witnessed in his 38-year career in the industry.

In April, a similar work stop order was issued for another offshore wind project surrounding New York. The order was eventually lifted in May, allowing construction to continue, but at a cost of $955 million to the company behind the project.

Gov. Lamont suggested that Connecticut leaders might be able to negotiate with the Trump administration to restart the project, given its near completion. “We’re on the eighth inning of this baseball game,” he said.