Equinor has asked a federal court for an emergency injunction to restart the Empire Wind offshore project off Long Island after the Interior Department paused activity on offshore wind leases citing national security concerns. The company says it has invested roughly $4 billion, the project is about 60% complete, and may face termination if work does not resume by Jan. 16. The hearing comes after a separate ruling allowed Orsted to restart Revolution Wind, underscoring the high financial and legal stakes for developers and investors.
Equinor Seeks Emergency Court Order To Restart Empire Wind After Federal Offshore-Wind Halt
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference, as he makes an announcement about the Navy's "Golden Fleet" at Mar-a-lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 22, 2025. REUTERS/Jessica Koscielniak/File Photo
WASHINGTON, Jan 14 — Norwegian energy company Equinor asked a U.S. federal court on Wednesday to allow construction to resume on its Empire Wind offshore project off New York, pursuing an injunction after the Trump administration paused offshore wind activity in federal waters.
Equinor told U.S. District Court filings that it has already invested about $4 billion in the project and warned that the lease and associated contracts face likely termination if work cannot continue by Jan. 16. The company is asking U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols to grant a temporary order enabling construction to resume while litigation proceeds.
Project Status and Location
Empire Wind is located roughly 20 miles off the coast of Long Island, is about 60% complete and is expected to produce enough electricity to power approximately 500,000 homes. Equinor and partners have advanced major offshore construction activities prior to the federal pause.
Court Context and Industry Impact
The hearing follows a separate ruling in the same court that allowed Denmark's Orsted to restart the nearly finished Revolution Wind project off Rhode Island. Those decisions carry high stakes for developers, suppliers and investors because they could determine whether multi-billion-dollar projects can be completed despite ongoing legal and regulatory uncertainty.
In court papers Equinor said the project "faces likely termination" unless construction resumes by Jan. 16.
Federal Pause and National Security
The Department of the Interior last month paused activity related to five offshore wind leases after receiving new, classified information about potential national security risks, notably interference with radar systems, in an assessment provided by the Defense Department in November. The administration has cited those findings as the basis for the freeze.
Offshore wind developers, including Equinor, have faced repeated interruptions under the Trump administration, which has publicly criticized wind turbines as costly and inefficient. Empire Wind was previously halted for about a month last year.
Why This Matters
How the court rules could influence whether key projects move forward or face termination, shaping investor confidence and the future pace of U.S. offshore wind development. Even if courts permit construction to resume, the underlying lawsuits and federal review will continue to create uncertainty for the industry.
(Reporting adapted from Reuters: Nichola Groom; edited for clarity.)
Help us improve.
