Thousands of jobs threatened by Rhode Island wind halt
White House order stops Ørsted’s nearly finished offshore wind project, putting 2,500 jobs and power for 350,000 homes at risk.
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Rhode Island, Providence: Thousands of jobs and a major offshore wind project are in jeopardy after the White House halted construction on Revolution Wind, an almost-finished wind farm off Rhode Island.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordered developer Ørsted to stop work immediately, citing national security concerns but giving no details. The project was due to supply enough electricity to power about 350,000 homes across Rhode Island and Connecticut from next year.
Ørsted said the order puts more than 2,500 jobs at risk, including roles in construction, operations, shipbuilding, and manufacturing. Hundreds more union workers were expected to join the project before year’s end. “All these jobs hang in the balance,” said Tory Mazzola, Ørsted’s head of communications for the Americas.
Local labour leaders condemned the decision. Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, called it “a betrayal of Rhode Island’s working-class,” while Michael Sabitoni of the Building and Construction Trades Council said cancelling a project 80 % complete was “reckless” and “asinine.”
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont also criticised the move, warning it would harm the regional economy and grid reliability. Both Rhode Island and Connecticut already face some of the highest household electricity prices in the country.
The stoppage follows a similar halt in April to a New York offshore wind project, which was later allowed to continue but at heavy cost.
Source: CNN
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