Trump Administration Halts Construction on Nearly Completed Offshore Wind Farm

"...New England, long burdened with some of the nation’s highest electricity costs, is facing a growing energy crisis...."

"...Offshore wind was seen as the answer — a long-promised relief for the densely populated, power-hungry states...."

"...shuttering construction on an 80%-complete project and injecting panic into a region already anxious about how to keep the lights — and the heat — on in the decades to come...."

"...Indeed, the not-in-my-backyard crowd has less to complain about when the eyesores in question are barely visible on the horizon...."

"...New England has been dogged by challenges around energy projects for years...."

"...The region is small and lacks the space to build vast land-based solar and wind farms...."

"...Its energy infrastructure is also lagging, experts told CNN...."

"...It is literally the last stop of the nation’s natural gas pipelines and gets much of its natural gas shipped on ocean tankers...."

"...New England has spent the last several years relying on aged, oil-burning power plants to help keep the lights on during cold winters and AC running during hot summers...."

"...New England energy experts say Dykes is correct — there are no other options to backfill the sheer amount of electricity Revolution Wind and other offshore projects were set to add to the regional grid, if Trump continues to block them...."

"...Ahead of the winter season, New England’s grid operator already issued a stark warning about delaying the project...."

"...The threat to the offshore wind project and other major projects like it “will stifle future investments, increase costs to consumers, and undermine the power grid’s reliability and the region’s economy now and in the future.”..."

"...Trump and his cabinet members have repeatedly said offshore wind is the most expensive form of energy...."

"...Speaking in Europe recently, Trump Energy Sec. Chris Wright castigated European energy generated from wind farms as too costly...."

"...Offshore wind projects have high initial costs, in large part because of limited supply chains and high inflation rates that have dogged the entire US economy for several years...."

"...But those costs are offset by the inexpensive electricity wind turbines generate...."

"...Wind farms also have lower ongoing costs than fossil fuels because wind is free, said Francis Pullaro, president of RENEW Northeast, a clean energy industry association based in New England...."

"...Without wind, homeowners and businesses will see their rates skyrocket...."

"...Consumers could see $200 million in annual higher energy market costs starting next year if Revolution Wind does not move forward, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection estimated in a recent report...."

"...Wind energy is also highly reliable and cheap in the wintertime, benefiting from blustery New England weather, Dykes said...."

"...“Folks have talked about the wind resource in New England as sort of like the Saudi Arabia of wind, if you will,” she said...."

"...“Offshore wind has been viewed as a real compliment to help maintain grid reliability during those peak winter periods, as well as contributing during hot summer weather, too.”..."