Stop order lifted on $5bn New York offshore wind project

Empire Offshore Wind, a subsidiary of Norwegian firm Equinor, said it had been informed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that the order had been lifted.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the move on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on 16 April and suggested the Biden administration approved it without enough environmental analysis.

The Empire Wind project south of Long Island, New York is expected to generate enough electricity to power 700,000 homes a year and is expected to start producing power in 2027.

It was approved by the Biden administration in November 2023 and began construction last year.

Anders Opedal, president and CEO of Equinor, said, “We appreciate the fact that construction can now resume on Empire Wind, a project which underscores our commitment to deliver energy while supporting local economies and creating jobs.

“I would like to thank President Trump for finding a solution that saves thousands of American jobs and provides for continued investments in energy infrastructure in the U.S. I am grateful to [New York] Governor Hochul for her constructive collaboration with the Trump Administration, without which we would not have been able to advance this project and secure energy for 500 000 homes in New York.”

Equinor said it will now perform an updated assessment of the project economics in the second quarter.