RICHMOND, Va. – Judge Jamar Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted Dominion Energy’s request for a preliminary injunction on Jan. 16, which allows the utility to resume work on its $11.2 billion offshore wind project.
The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project’s 176 turbines are expected to bring 2.6 gigawatts of energy to the grid, enough to power up to 660,000 homes.
The U.S. Department of the Interior in late December ordered a 90-day suspension of work for the project off Virginia Beach, citing national security concerns. In response, the utility filed a lawsuit to challenge the stop work order.
During the hearing, Walker said the federal government’s concerns were too broad to target Dominion’s project. He added that the listed risks applied only to wind farm operations and not construction.
Virginia’s U.S. Senators, Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott and Jennifer McClellan, issued a statement the same day applauding Walker’s decision.
“This project has already undergone years of rigorous review and is poised to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy while creating thousands of good-paying jobs in Hampton Roads,” the statement said. “CVOW represents the kind of investment in domestic energy our region and nation need.”
The utility said it will find a solution and cooperate with the federal government while the lawsuit and project proceed. Despite the delay, Dominion Energy spokesperson Jeremy Slayton said the project is on schedule and expected to begin generating power by the end of March.