GEORGETOWN, Del. — Sussex County Council voted April 14 to continue challenging a court decision tied to a proposed electrical substation linked to an offshore wind project.
Council members returned from a closed-door meeting with their lawyer and voted 4-1 to move forward with the appeal after a court sided with Delaware’s Senate Bill 159, which requires counties to approve substation permits that meet certain criteria. Councilwoman Jane Gruenebaum cast the only vote against continuing the legal fight. Council members did not comment before the vote.
The dispute centers on a substation planned near the former Indian River power plant. The facility would bring offshore wind energy onshore and connect it to the electric grid. In March, The Court of Chancery upheld the General Assembly’s authority to ensure the substation project moves forward, rejecting challenges from Sussex County and the Town of Fenwick Island.
Lawmakers passed the SB 159 in 2025 after Sussex County Council denied the substation request in 2024.
If the appeal does not succeed, US Wind would be able to move ahead with building the substation. However, the offshore wind farm itself — planned off the coast of Maryland — still faces federal hurdles before construction can begin.
