As the Revolution Wind project restarts, Gov. Ned Lamont said he is working “very closely” with the Trump administration on several aspects of energy policy.
A court ruled Monday that the offshore wind farm being built out of New London could resume construction, almost a month after the Trump administration had issued a stop-work order.
The project is around 80% complete.
“I’m talking to the Secretary of Energy, I’m talking to the Secretary of Interior, doing everything we can to get not just wind power and solar power, but also what we can do in terms of natural gas, what we can do in terms of nuclear power,” Lamont said during a press conference to celebrate the restarting of the project.
He did not reveal whether he has cut a specific deal to guarantee the resumption of the wind farm, as happened earlier this year in New York.
In that case, the administration lifted a month-old stop-work order on Empire Wind, a $5 billion project off the coast of New York, in a compromise that could also see cancelled plans for a gas pipeline revived.
Lamont would say only that he wants to work together with the administration in terms of all energy sources.
Rep. Joe Courtney called the administration’s actions in stopping construction “a violation of contract law,” noting that nine years of work went into permitting the project.
He said that Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has the right to appeal Monday’s court order.
“But he has to start all over again in terms of trying to get the halt work order back in play,” Courtney said. “At this point again there is a completely wide legal avenue for the work to continue.”
The interruption has cost Danish wind power giant Ørsted $2 million per day of the stoppage.
Connecticut Port Authority Executive Director Michael O’Connor said work is resuming today to try to complete the work before winter weather sets in.
“The crews are proceeding safely, so there’s not a rushing element to this,” he said.
