From cfact
David Wojick
President Trump’s executive order (EO) to wind power poses a clear threat to the under-constructed offshore wind projects, but they seem to have overlooked it. I did not find them revealing this threat to the public or their shareholders.
EO is evident when it initiates an investigation to terminate these leases. Here is the text:
“With such existing leases, consultation with the Attorney General as needed, the ecological, economic and environmental necessity should be comprehensively reviewed to terminate or modify any existing wind energy leases and to determine the legal basis for any dismissal and to make recommendations to the President and report to the President.”
Here are five OSW projects listed by the owner, the most relevant statements I can find on this threat:
1. DominionEnergy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project
“Dominion said that despite the orders, offshore wind farms are still moving forward.”
“Trump warns that the largest U.S. offshore wind farm will be 'most inflationary action'”
https://virginiabusiness.com/dominion-says-says-off shore-wind-farm-moving-forward-defte-devite-excected-order/
“Dominion Energy CEO Bob Blue won’t foresee the impact of Donald Trump stopping offshore wind speeds in the offshore lease and allowing his mammoths from the Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Project (CVOW).
https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/wind/trump-warned-axing-larges-us-ustshore-wind-farm-wind-wind-be-be-most-inflationary-actionary-actionary-action/2-1-1778958
2. Osterde's Revolutionary Wind and Sunrise Wind Project
CEO Rasmus Errboe told investors the company's February 6 earnings call. However, future developments may be at risk, and Orsted's Sunrise Wind and Revolutionary Wind projects should not be affected by Trump's orders, respectively.
“We are totally committed to pushing them forward and fulfilling our commitments,” Errboe said. “We don’t want the executive order to have any impact on the assets under construction, but of course for the assets under development, that may be a different situation.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/16/trumps-broadide-against-against-wind-industry-puts-projects-projects-that-that-that-that-that-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th–armes-at-at-at-ark.html
3. The Imperial Wind Project at the Equator
“But the international companies behind Empire and Sunrise Wind say they are committed to protecting their investments and completing projects with uncertainty, which is “the best way to create and protect shareholder value” as Equinor’s CFO lists it in recent earnings.”
4. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Renewables’ Vineyard Wind Project
“Trump's pause in offshore wind rentals may have limited impact in New England”
https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/01/22/trump-wind-execnote-moster-massachusetts-vineyard-wind
Understandably, the vineyard wind itself is silent, as they are already in a warm federal embrace due to the failure of the fragments of the 70-ton wind tower blade. They were allowed to resume construction before Trump took office and released his EO.
Overall, the offshore wind construction project appears to have simply overlooked federal investigations into its legitimacy. Even under Biden, the Federal Leasing Agency made it clear that leasing is not a right to build, but a right to propose proposals. The leasing itself contains language that allows the Fed to change the size of these changes without limit.
Offshore wind developers' statements show that their federal leases are not subject to the president's executive order, which is simply incorrect. The investigation terminates the ongoing investigation of these leases.
Stay tuned for CFACT to see how this multi-billion dollar story plays.
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