Equinor Warns of Empire Wind Termination If Trump Halt Stands

By Kari Lundgren (Bloomberg) — Equinor ASA said its Empire Wind project faces “likely termination” if the Trump administration’s decision to halt construction on its offshore wind farm stands.

Delaying work beyond Jan. 16, would mean the project “faces likely termination due to disruption of a tightly choreographed construction schedule” and create an “existential threat” for its financing, lawyers for the Norwegian developer said in a court filing this week. 

A complete loss of the project off New York could cost the company about $5.3 billion, it said. White House representatives didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Equinor and fellow developer Orsted A/S filed legal challenges earlier this month after the US suspended leases for a number of offshore wind parks in December. The suspensions are part of President Donald Trump’s effort to aggressively thwart the growth of the industry as he rolls back Biden-era climate policies and champions fossil fuels.

Both companies filed preliminary injunctions against the US Interior Department and other agencies in the last few weeks.

The US offshore wind industry remains fairly nascent compared with its peers in Europe, where such projects have been delivering power for decades.

Equinor said in its filing that the halt “became more acute” on Jan. 5, when the government said the company would not be allowed to carry out construction work linked to essential safety-related activities. Among the factors weighing on the schedule are contracts with two specialized vessels, which have subsequent commitments that will make them unavailable for years, the company said.

“This development turned a dire situation for Empire Wind into a near terminal one, making immediate relief necessary,” the company said in the filing. The project is more than 60% complete.

Costs associated with scrapping the project include the $4 billion invested in the park, $850 million in termination fees for 11 associated construction contracts, and $355 million to dismantle and scrap parts and mothball facilities, Equinor said.

© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

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