The Trump administration has halted leases for five offshore wind projects including a site in Virginia that is two-thirds under construction.
“This pause will give the Department, along with the Department of War and other relevant government agencies, time to work with leaseholders and state partners to assess the possibility of mitigating the national security risks posed by these projects,” reads a statement on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s website posted on December 22, 2025.
“Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “The Trump administration will always prioritize the security of the American people.”
The release claims that the movement of turbines can interfere with radar and cause potential targets to become undetected.
Construction is well underway for Dominion Energy’s installation of 176 wind turbines and three 4,300-ton off shore stations about 27 miles off shore that would generate 2.6 gigawatts of electricity upon completion. The work must stop immediately.
The company said in a release that completion of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project (CVOW) is itself crucial to national security and a need for higher energy production.
“This growth is driven by the need to provide reliable power to many of America’s most important war fighting installations, the world’s largest warship manufacturer, and the largest concentration of data centers on the planet as well as the leading edge of the AI revolution,” reads Dominion’s statement.
The release notes that ratepayers are already paying for the construction of the project after it got the green light from the State Corporation Commission.
“The project has been more than ten years in the works, involved close coordination with the military, and is located 27 to 44 miles offshore, so far offshore it does not raise visual impact concerns,” the release continues. “The project’s two pilot turbines have been operating for five years without causing any impacts to national security.”
Dominion announced a nine percent increase in the cost estimate earlier this year from $9.8 billion to $10.7 billion.
The other paused projects are off the shores of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.
Since taking office for a second time, President Donald Trump has been actively hostile toward wind energy and issued a memorandum on January 20 ordering an end to any further leasing for offshore wind in order to protect the fishing industry.
“This withdrawal does not apply to leasing related to any other purposes such as, but not limited to, oil, gas, minerals, and environmental conservation,” reads the memo.
Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has been a champion for offshore wind announcing the Virginia Offshore Wind Supplier Development Grant in July 2023.
“With a central East Coast location, one of the highest concentrations of skilled maritime talent, world-class port infrastructure, and a competitive cost of doing business, Virginia has emerged as a leader in the U.S. offshore wind supply chain,” Youngkin said at the time.
Take a look at Youngkin’s energy plan here.
Additional stories:
- Trump’s war on offshore wind threatens Hochul’s energy strategy, Marie J. French, Politico, December 23, 2025
- Democratic governors call on Trump administration to lift freeze on offshore wind projects, Jasper Ward, Reuters, December 24, 2025
- Dominion Energy files lawsuit, says offshore wind pause costing over $5 million a day, Kathleen Lundy, 13NewsNow, December 24, 2025
- ‘I am deeply disappointed,’ Kiggans says of decision to pause VB offshore wind project, Brett Hall, WAVY, December 24, 2025
Before you go: Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the December 22, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. You can either subscribe through Substack, make a monthly contribution through Patreon, or consider becoming a sponsor. The goal of Town Crier Productions is to increase awareness about what is happening at the local, regional, state, and federal government levels. Please share the work with others if you want people to know things.
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