Trump order to halt Equinor windfarm should 'send chills across industries investing in the US'

Norwegian energy giant Equinor has confirmed that it will cease construction of its Empire Offshore Wind project after the Trump administration issued a ‘halt work’ order on the windfarm.

In his first days in office, President Trump signed an executive order that would restrict the approval of offshore windfarms.

Yesterday (Wednesday April 16), Equinor’s delivery company Empire Offshore Wind LLC was told by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to stop all work on the windfarm in waters off Long Island until BOEM completes a review of its approval process.

The project was given the green light by the Biden administration in 2017, however US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum suggested in a post on social media platform X yesterday that there may have been issues with the approval process.

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In a statement, Equinor said it is “engaging with relevant authorities to clarify this matter and is considering its legal remedies, including appealing the order”.

It added that the project “has validly secured all necessary federal and state permits”.

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The Oceantic Network is a US association promoting the growth of windpower and its supply chains. Its chief executive Liz Burdock said:“Stopping work on the fully federally-permitted Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project should send chills across all industries investing in and holding contracts with the United States government”.

“Preventing a permitted and financed energy project from moving forward sends a loud and clear message to all businesses – beyond those in the offshore wind industry – that their investment in the US is not safe.”

Burdock urged the Department of Interior “to lift this order immediately to restore a predictable and equitable environment for the buildout of critical energy resources that help secure our energy future and independence.”

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