Only one wind turbine remains to be installed at the Vineyard Wind 1 site off Massachusetts, as noted in a complaint filed by the project owner with the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The 806 MW project was expected to be completed by 31 March and start delivering full capacity power to the state’s grid until the US Department of the Interior (DOI) issued a stop-work order.
The completion of the offshore wind farm is now uncertain due to the government’s 90-day suspension. The installation vessel is contracted within the current project schedule, aiming for a 31 March completion, according to the complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief submitted on 15 January.
Vineyard Wind 1 is 95% completed, with 61 of the total 62 GE Haliade-X 13 MW wind turbines installed and the necessary electrical infrastructure ready to deliver power to New England’s grid.
The wind farm currently generates electricity from approximately 572 MW of installed capacity across 44 operational turbines, with additional capacity expected online as more turbines are activated, according to the filing.
Remaining offshore work includes installing the last turbine, replacing blades on ten turbines, and activating the remaining 18 turbines.
By 21 December 2025, the project was on track for a 31 March 2026 completion, achieving its proposed 800 MW capacity from 62 turbines. However, the stop-work order now threatens this timeline. The crucial vessel, DEME’s jack-up vessel Sea Installer, used for turbine installation, is chartered under the current schedule.
“This vessel is crucial, specifically designed for this task. Losing access to it would jeopardize project completion. Sea Installer is secured for the term needed to complete the project by 31 March 2026,” Vineyard Wind states in the complaint.
“Failure to complete offshore work by this date risks losing access to Sea Installer, essential for installation, blade replacement, and startup activities.”
Vineyard Wind 1 started generating electricity in February 2024, becoming the largest operational wind farm in the US by June that year.
While the stop-work order issued on 22 December 2025 suspends construction activities, the DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) allows the developer to maintain operations for already active turbines.
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