Dominion Energy Virginia is suing a federal judge to halt a Trump administration order that halted construction of its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project and four others.
The lawsuit, filed late Tuesday, argues that the government’s order is “arbitrary and capricious” and unconstitutional.
Dominion, a Richmond-based company, says the offshore wind project is essential to meet dramatically growing energy needs driven by dozens of new data centers.
The Interior Department blocked the five projects on Monday without detailing the specific security concerns.
In a letter to the developers, the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management set a 90-day period-possibly longer-to determine whether the national security threats posed by the projects can be adequately mitigated.
Other projects affected by the order include Vineyard Wind in Massachusetts, Revolution Wind in Rhode Island and Connecticut, and Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind in New York.
Democratic governors in those states have vowed to fight the order, marking another action by the Trump administration to curb offshore wind in its push against renewable energy sources.
Dominion’s project has been under construction since early 2024 and was scheduled to come online early next year, providing enough energy to power about 660,000 homes.
The company says the delay is costing it more than $5 million a day in losses solely for the ships used in round-the-clock construction, and that customers or the company will eventually bear the cost.
Dominion called this week’s order “the latest in a series of irrational agency actions attacking offshore wind and then doubling down when those actions are found unlawful.”
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
U.S. District Judge Jamar Walker set a hearing for 2 p.m. Monday on Dominion’s request for a temporary restraining order.
Key Takeaways
- Dominion Energy Virginia seeks to block a Trump order that halted construction of five offshore wind projects.
- The lawsuit claims the order is arbitrary, capricious, and unconstitutional, citing daily $5 million losses.
- The order also affects projects in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York, drawing opposition from state governors.
The outcome of the court hearing could shape the future of offshore wind development in the United States, as developers argue that the projects are vital to meeting the country’s growing energy demands and supporting new data center infrastructure.
