Mon, 22 Dec 2025

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 US pauses offshore wind projects over security concerns

The Trump administration has long opposed wind power, most often citing cost and reliability concerns.

* The US Department of the Interior has announced that it is pausing leases for five large-scale offshore wind energy projects near the Atlantic coastline due to security concerns.
* The pause is to investigate potential interference with radar and other risks to east coast cities, including the creation of "false targets" that could compromise national security.
* Renewable energy companies and state leaders have expressed alarm over the administration's stance on wind energy, which President Trump has long opposed as unreliable and expensive.
* The five paused projects are located off the coasts of New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
* Dominion Energy, one of the companies involved in a project, says its turbines do not raise visual impact concerns and have been operating without causing any national security impacts for five years.
* The pause has sent share prices plummeting for wind energy companies, including Orsted (down 12%) and Vestas (down 2.6%).
* Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has called the decision "erratic" and says it will drive up electricity costs in the state and region.
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