New York Construction Report staff writer
A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction allowing construction on the Sunrise Wind offshore wind project to resume while a legal challenge to a federal suspension order continues.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that Sunrise Wind LLC may restart construction activities halted by a Dec. 22, 2025, order issued by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The injunction blocks enforcement of the order while the lawsuit proceeds.
Sunrise Wind is designed to deliver renewable electricity to New York’s power grid. Company officials said impacted construction work will resume as soon as possible, with safety remaining the project’s top priority.
According to a Feb. 9 construction update from the company, contractor activities include continued commissioning and testing at the Holbrook Substation Expansion and Smith Point County Park and Marina, with weekend work and extended hours planned. Work is also continuing at the Union Avenue onshore converter station, along with ongoing pier and platform operations. Crews are beginning cable jointing preparation along the cable route and conducting testing and punch list activities at manhole locations.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the ruling will allow workers to return to job sites and keep private investment in the state.
“Today’s court ruling allowing work on Sunrise Wind to resume is a big win for New York workers, families, and our future,” Hochul said. “It puts union workers back on the job, keeps billions in private investment in New York, and delivers the clean, reliable power our grid needs.”
Hochul said the project is expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 600,000 homes on Long Island. She criticized the Trump administration’s decision to suspend the project, saying it was based on an unfounded national security claim.
“But energy independence is national security,” Hochul said.
The Sunrise Wind project is part of New York’s broader effort to expand offshore wind generation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Department of the Interior has not publicly commented on the court’s ruling.
