Press Release: Southeastern Wind Coalition Responds to Federal Pause on Offshore Wind Project Leases

Suspension of five under-construction offshore wind projects highlights the need for strategic energy planning and continued investment in reliable, secure, clean energy.

For Immediate Release: December 22, 2025

Media Contact: Holly Elliott, hollye@sewind.org

Washington, D.C. — December 22, 2025 —Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the suspension of leases for five under-construction offshore wind projects, citing national security concerns related to radar interference. The projects include Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind–Commercial, and Empire Wind 1, which total 5.8 GW of new electric capacity and represent substantial investments in clean energy infrastructure.

The decision, which will pause progress on developments slated to supply clean electricity to millions of Americans within months and support thousands of jobs, highlights the urgent need for a more predictable and coordinated federal approach to energy planning. It also raises critical concerns about impacts on broader electricity availability, grid reliability, and energy diversification that wind power provides.

With several of these projects nearing completion, halting construction now disrupts thousands of skilled construction and supply-chain jobs, while injecting unnecessary uncertainty into regional electricity planning.

“Offshore wind already under construction represents billions of dollars in private investment and a significant opportunity to strengthen our nation’s energy reliability and economic competitiveness,” said Katharine Kollins of the Southeastern Wind Coalition. “Pausing these projects without a clear roadmap for mitigation and continued progress creates uncertainty for workers, ratepayers, and communities that stand to benefit from clean, affordable energy.”

Experts have repeatedly documented that wind energy enhances grid resilience, moderates long-term energy costs, and contributes to diversified energy portfolios—outcomes increasingly important as demand rises and extreme weather grows more frequent. The Southeast, like other regions, will benefit from federal policies that support stable, forward-looking energy infrastructure and avoid disruptions that delay progress.

At a time when electricity demand is rising rapidly, and extreme weather is placing new strain on the grid, delaying large domestic energy projects increases the risk of higher costs for consumers and reliability challenges for homes and businesses.

One of the projects under suspension is the 2,600 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project (CVOW). In Virginia, electricity demand is growing faster than almost anywhere in the country, driven by military installations, shipbuilding, data centers, and advanced manufacturing critical to national security and economic competitiveness. CVOW is an American-owned project that has been more than a decade in development. It has been reviewed extensively by state regulators and numerous federal agencies. Its two pilot turbines have operated for five years without national security impacts.

“Projects like Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, which is already under construction and represents one of the largest clean energy investments in the region, are critical to strengthening grid reliability and supporting long-term economic growth,” said Katharine Kollins, President of the Southeastern Wind Coalition. “Pausing progress on CVOW creates uncertainty for workers, suppliers, and communities that are counting on this project to deliver affordable, reliable power. National security concerns deserve careful attention, but in this case they were already thoroughly evaluated through more than a decade of permitting and coordination with federal agencies, including BOEM, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”

About SEWC

The Southeastern Wind Coalition is a 501(c)(3), nonpartisan organization that works to advance the land-based and offshore wind industry in the Southeast. We focus on providing fact-based information on the economic and environmental opportunities of wind energy, and encourage solutions that result in net economic benefits to residents and ratepayers. For more information about the Southeastern Wind Coalition, visit www.sewind.org