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Ørsted says Revolution Wind, a 704-megawatt offshore wind farm near Connecticut and Rhode Island, began generating at full capacity in October. It is the third U.S. utility-scale offshore wind farm to reach full commercial operations, though a federal review request leaves its regulatory outlook uncertain.
Revolution Wind, a 704-megawatt offshore wind farm near Connecticut and Rhode Island, began generating at full capacity in October, operator Ørsted said Thursday. It is the third U.S. utility-scale offshore wind farm to reach full commercial operations, adding a large new source of electricity for New England while remaining subject to regulatory uncertainty.
The project began producing electricity at lower levels in the spring, and Ørsted installed its final turbine in September. The farm has 65 turbines and is valued at $6.2 billion in the source report. Ørsted said the project is now generating up to its full capacity of 704 megawatts.
Ørsted says the wind farm can provide electricity equivalent to the needs of more than 350,000 New England homes. The company is selling its carbon-free power to three regional utilities: Rhode Island Energy, Eversource Energy and United Illuminating. The homes figure is the company’s stated equivalent, not a report of a measured number of households receiving power at any given time.
Revolution Wind reached the milestone after construction was interrupted twice by federal stop-work orders in 2025, according to the source report. A federal judge overturned an August order, and judges later struck down orders issued in December to the five offshore wind projects then under construction. The work stoppages caused developers to lose money and put project deadlines at risk, the report said.
A New Power Source for New England
Full operation adds 704 megawatts of generating capacity to a region where electricity demand is growing and supply reliability is a concern. Offshore wind can diversify the sources serving the grid, though the project’s actual contribution at any moment depends on its output and system conditions.
Ørsted says Revolution Wind will supply enough electricity to equal the use of more than 350,000 homes. Offshore wind advocates also say completed projects have helped ease grid stress during extreme weather this year. Those are claims about the project’s expected and reported value; the source material does not provide a separate analysis quantifying Revolution Wind’s effect on power prices or reliability.
The milestone also contrasts with the shrinking outlook for future U.S. offshore wind development. BloombergNEF’s forecast, as cited by Canary Media, fell from a projection of 39 gigawatts by 2035 made before President Donald Trump’s second administration to an expectation of 5.9 gigawatts coming online. The change points to a more limited pipeline, even as projects already built or underway begin supplying power.
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Two Other Farms Reached Operation
Revolution Wind follows South Fork Wind near New York and Vineyard Wind near Massachusetts as the third U.S. utility-scale offshore wind farm to reach full commercial operations, according to the report. Its completion is a project milestone, not evidence that the broader U.S. offshore wind industry has returned to earlier growth expectations.
The project has faced federal scrutiny even after construction advanced. In August 2025, the Interior Department issued a stop-work order citing national security threats that were not specified in the source report. A federal judge set that order aside a month later. In late December, the administration issued new stop-work orders to all five offshore wind projects then under construction; courts struck them down in turn.
In October, the Interior Department asked a federal court for permission to reevaluate its 2023 approval of Revolution Wind’s construction and operations plan. The request did not immediately change the farm’s operations, but it leaves open the possibility of further legal and regulatory proceedings.
““Revolution Wind will provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 350,000 New England homes, strengthening the region’s supply of affordable, reliable energy.””
— Ørsted, in an emailed statement after its quarterly earnings call
Federal Review Could Continue
The Interior Department’s October request to reevaluate the project’s 2023 approval remains a source of uncertainty. The source report says the request did not immediately affect operations, but it does not establish whether the court will grant the department permission, what issues a review might address, or whether any later action could affect the wind farm.
Ørsted has reported that the farm began generating at full capacity, but the source material does not give current output figures, capacity-factor data, or a breakdown of how much electricity each utility receives. It also does not provide a quantified estimate of the project’s effect on consumer bills. Those outcomes should not be inferred from the nameplate capacity or the company’s homes-equivalent figure.
Sunrise Wind’s Next Milestone
Ørsted said it has completed installation of all turbine foundations for Sunrise Wind, a separate 924-megawatt project off Long Island, New York. The company expects that development to become fully operational in the second half of next year, according to the report.
For Revolution Wind, the next significant development may come from the federal court proceedings over the Interior Department’s request to revisit the project approval. The source material does not give a timetable for a court decision. The farm is operating at full capacity, while the legal process and its possible effects remain unresolved.
Key Questions
Where is Revolution Wind?
It is an offshore wind farm near Connecticut and Rhode Island, serving utilities in the region.
How much electricity can the project generate?
Its stated generating capacity is 704 megawatts. Ørsted says its output is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 350,000 New England homes.
Is Revolution Wind the first U.S. offshore wind farm?
No. It is the third U.S. utility-scale offshore wind farm to reach full commercial operations, after South Fork Wind near New York and Vineyard Wind near Massachusetts.
Could the federal review affect the project?
The Interior Department has asked a federal court for permission to reevaluate its 2023 approval. The request did not immediately affect operations, and the source report does not say what the court will decide or whether a review would change the farm’s status.
What is Ørsted’s next offshore wind project milestone?
Ørsted says all foundations have been installed for the 924-megawatt Sunrise Wind project off Long Island. The company expects it to be fully operational in the second half of next year.
Source: canarymedia.com
