Third US Wind Farm Wins Court Battle in One Week

A Virginia offshore wind project just got the green light to restart construction after losing $5 million every day it sat idle.

US District Judge Jamar Walker ruled Friday that Dominion Energy can resume building the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm, which is already 67% complete. The decision marks the third time in one week that federal courts have overruled government stop-work orders affecting major wind projects.

The pause began in late December when the Trump administration suspended leases for five under-construction wind farms, citing national security concerns. Judge Walker found the order too broad, noting the government's concerns related to future operations, not the construction phase itself.

Dominion has invested roughly $9 billion in the project so far alongside partner Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners. The company had been hemorrhaging $5 million daily during the forced pause, according to court filings.

The project was originally expected to deliver its first power in early 2026. While that timeline may shift slightly, construction crews are now preparing to safely restart work within weeks.

Two other wind farms won similar court battles this same week. On January 15, Equinor's 810-megawatt Empire Wind project off New York received clearance to resume construction. Just three days earlier, Ørsted's 704-megawatt Revolution Wind project earned the same approval.

The Ripple Effect

These three court victories signal momentum for America's emerging offshore wind industry. Together, the projects represent thousands of construction jobs and enough clean electricity to power millions of homes along the East Coast.

Industry groups celebrated the rulings as critical for energy reliability and economic growth. Oceantic Network CEO Liz Burdock praised the decision for delivering "reliable, affordable power and good-paying jobs to communities across the region that desperately need it."

All three developers plan to continue their underlying lawsuits challenging the original government orders while seeking cooperative solutions with federal officials. For now, though, construction can move forward.

Three major clean energy projects back on track in seven days proves the system works when it needs to.