PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island and Connecticut’s attorneys general are pushing for an immediate federal court order to reverse a Trump administration stop-work order on the Revolution Wind project, arguing that mounting delays threaten the entire multibillion-dollar endeavor.

In a 47-page motion filed Sept. 17 in U.S. District Court, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong requested a temporary block on the federal order while their lawsuit proceeds. They said the project, which is 80% complete, can’t withstand a prolonged delay without facing “unsustainable losses.”

The Democratic attorneys general sued the administration Sept. 4, two weeks after a federal order halted construction of the $5 billion, 65-turbine wind project off the Rhode Island coast. The project, which was already on track to provide power to both states by 2027, has seen critical milestones disrupted, leading to the loss of specialized equipment and union labor.

“We have no time to waste in getting Revolution Wind back online,” said Neronha, citing the immediate harm to workers and businesses. “We have heard difficult stories from union workers who are out of a job, and from businesses who are now reluctant to pursue economic ventures due to the uncertainty created by this Administration’s decision. Further, Rhode Islanders continue to bear the brunt of the rising and increasingly unstable energy costs and environmental harms associated with fossil fuels. In this case, we need relief now for the benefit of Rhode Island, its workers, and its residents. And time is of the essence.”

He added that the delay exacerbates high energy costs and fossil fuel reliance in a region seeking to transition to renewable power.

The motion warns of severe consequences, including jeopardizing Rhode Island’s goal of sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2033, part of the 2021 Act on Climate law.

The project is crucial for the region’s energy supply and economy. The power from the offshore wind project is contracted at 9.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is 33% lower than this winter’s proposed electric rates in Rhode Island. Connecticut officials project the delay could lead to a $500,000 annual increase in regional utility costs starting in 2028.

Tong echoed Neronha’s sense of urgency. “Every day that Revolution Wind sits mothballed in the ocean is another day of unemployment, another day of unaffordable energy costs,” he said, calling the administration’s action an “impulsive and lawless overreach.”

The developer, Revolution Wind LLC, filed its own lawsuit against the administration in a D.C. federal court. Meanwhile, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont have also attempted to negotiate directly with federal officials, but to no avail.

A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22 to address the request for an injunction. The federal administration has until Oct. 1 to submit its formal response to the lawsuit.