The Trump administration, after a month-long halt, has restarted a significant offshore wind project planned off New York’s coast, as reported by the project’s developer on Monday.
Equinor, a Norwegian energy firm, announced that construction activities on Empire Wind, a $5 billion endeavor predicted to supply power for half a million New York residences, have been permitted to continue. This reversal is a significant reprieve for the offshore wind industry, which was shaken by concerns that fully permitted developments representing billions in investment were not secure.
Anders Opedal, CEO of Equinor, in expressing gratitude to President Trump, indicated that this solution preserves thousands of American jobs and ensures continued investments in U.S. energy infrastructure. The Norwegian leadership, including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who met with President Trump in Washington the previous month, was also thanked for their intervention. New York Governor Kathy Hochul played a crucial role in getting the project back on track, according to Opedal.
Representatives from the U.S. Interior Department, which issued last month’s order, were not immediately accessible for comment. Equinor mentioned that it plans to carry out an updated economic evaluation in the second quarter, to proceed with offshore installation in 2025, and achieve commercial operation by 2027.
The company, which was spending $50 million per week to sustain the project during the suspension, will now collaborate with suppliers and regulatory bodies to mitigate impacts from the delay. This raises important questions about the financial implications of such suspensions.
The Empire Wind lease was purchased by Equinor during Trump’s first administration in 2017, and the 810-megawatt project was authorized under former President Joe Biden in 2023. The project is now 30% complete, according to the company.
It’s vital to note that Trump has pledged to augment domestic energy production as part of his energy dominance agenda, but wind energy was excluded from that effort. On his first day in office, he issued an executive order halting new leasing and permitting of wind projects, citing their appearance, cost, and potential harm to wildlife.
Despite the controversy surrounding wind energy, an industry group commended the administration for lifting the stop-work order. Erik Milito, President of the National Ocean Industries Association, stated that the administration is paving the way for significant investments, activating American shipyards, creating quality jobs, and accelerating the construction of infrastructure needed to deliver reliable, domestic energy to the East Coast.
It has been reported that the United States currently has four operating offshore wind farms. Apart from Empire Wind, three more are under construction. Two are owned by Denmark’s Orsted, and Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind is also underway.
