(Reuters) -The Trump administration on Friday ordered Denmark's Orsted to halt all activities related to its Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island, according to a letter posted on the website of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
The stop work order is related to unspecified national security concerns arising from the administration's review of offshore wind projects in federal waters, the letter, signed by BOEM acting Director Matthew Giacona, said.
"In particular, BOEM is seeking
to address concerns related to the protection of national security interests of the United States and prevention of interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone, the high seas, and the territorial seas," Giacona said.
The letter was addressed to Rob Keiser, head of asset management for Orsted's North American business. Orsted was not immediately available for comment.
The move is the administration's latest in a string of efforts to hinder offshore wind and clean energy development.
On his first day in office earlier this year, President Donald Trump suspended new offshore wind leasing pending an environmental and economic review of projects. He has repeatedly criticized wind energy as ugly, unreliable and expensive.
Earlier this month, Orsted asked shareholders for $9.4 billion to help fund another U.S. project because potential partners were put off by Trump's hostility to wind power.
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Leslie Adler and Sandra Maler)
