The Trump administration has reversed its decision to halt Empire Wind, a large-scale offshore wind project off the coast of New York, anticipated to power 500,000 homes with renewable energy, according to a statement by New York Governor Kathy Hochul
The announcement follows an order by the U.S. Department of the Interior in April to stop construction activities on the Empire Wind project, with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum stating that the order was made pending a “review of information that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis.”
Following the order, Hochul said that she would fight the order “every step of the way.” In a statement released announcing that the project was being allowed to proceed, Hochul said:
“I want to thank President Trump for his willingness to work with me to save the 1,500 good paying union jobs that were on the line and helping get this essential project back on track.
“New York’s economic future is going to be powered by abundant, clean energy that helps our homes and businesses thrive. I fought to save clean energy jobs in New York — and we got it done.”
Located 24 – 48 kilometers Southeast of Long Island, Empire Wind 1 is anticipated to be the first offshore wind project to connect into the New York City grid, with a contracted capacity of 810 MW. The project was already under construction and had been expected to reach commercial operation in 2027.
The Empire Wind lease was awarded to Norway-based energy company Equinor in 2017. Earlier this year, Equinor announced that it had secured a project financing package in excess of $3 billion for Empire Wind. The company said that it expected total capital investments for the project to reach approximately $5 billion.
In a statement released following the announcement that the stoppage order had been lifted, Equinor CEO Anders Opedal 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.”
In a social media post, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said that he was “encouraged by Governor Hochul’s comments about her willingness to move forward on critical pipeline capacity,” suggesting that the reversal of the halt included a compromise by the Governor on allowing the construction of new gas pipelines.
Burgum added:
“Americans who live in New York and New England would see significant economic benefits and lower utility costs from increased access to reliable, affordable, clean American natural gas.”
