Trump halts wind projects, including Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Dominion stock drops 4%
Dominion Energy’s wind turbines located 27 miles off of Virginia Beach in the Atlantic Ocean on July 17, 2023.
Kendall Warner | Virginian Pilot | Getty Images
The Trump administration on Monday halted Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, the largest project of its kind in the U.S., as well as four other wind farms on the U.S. East Coast.
Shares of Dominion Energy, the utility developing the project, dropped more than 4% on the news.
The administration also paused leases for Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind 1.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the administration paused leases for the projects due to national security concerns identified by the Pentagon.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind is a 176 turbine project project that would provide enough power for more than 600,000 homes, according to Dominion. Construction began in early 2024 and the project was expected to be complete next year.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, supports the project.
The pause will give the federal government time to “work with leaseholders and state partners to assess the possibility of mitigating the national security risks posed by these projects,” the Interior Department said in a statement.
Interior said the U.S. government found that turbine blades and “highly reflective towers” create radar interference risk.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
