Equinor could pull plug on Empire Wind 'within days'
Norwegian giant's US chief reportedly says New York project on borrowed time unless Trump officials change course
Equinor will be forced to terminate New York's Empire Wind offshore wind project "within days" unless President Donald Trump's administration lifts its order halting construction, the head of the company's Americas unit has reportedly said.
The 800MW project has been in limbo since April 16 when Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to halt all construction work because his department had "uncovered" evidence that its federal regulators under former President Joe Biden had rushed through its approvals.
Empire Wind went through a seven-year permitting process before reaching a final investment decision last year, and the developer has already invested more than $2.5bn in the project, according to Molly Morris, head of Equinor Renewables Americas.
Morris reportedly described the project as now facing an “urgent, unsustainable situation” with costs running as high as $50m per week, with as many as 11 vessels on standby.
“If no material progress is made toward a resolution within days, Equinor will be forced to terminate the project,” one of the reports quoted Morris as saying.
"We still do not have a resolution from the federal government, and every day of uncertainty is extremely expensive for us,” she said.
Equinor finalised the federal lease for Empire Wind in March 2017, early in Trump’s first term. The BOEM approved the construction and operations plan in February 2024 and construction began that year.
“This is about honouring contracts and financial investments made in the US It could set a dangerous precedent by stopping a project in mid-execution.”
The Norwegian oil giant’s CEO Anders Opedal described the order to stop work as “unlawful” and “unprecedented”.
Allegations about a rushed permitting process were based on an undisclosed report by the US National Marine Fisheries Service ( NOAA), but Morris reportedly said Equinor has yet to receive any such document and has been unable to secure a meeting with Burgum to explain his decision.
Morris noted that the summer construction window for major offshore work began this month, and missing it would set the project back a year, but expressed hope for a rapid solution.
She described meetings with Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, last week as "helpful" but inconclusive.
Other companies, including Germany utility RWE and TotalEnergies have ended or paused their involvement in US offshore wind but Equinor decided to carry on with a project that has already reached a final investment decision and received significant investments.
Equinor has been approached for further comment about the risk that Empire Wind faces cancellation.
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