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Judge to Rule on Equinor's Empire Wind Project Restart

1/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A federal judge will decide whether Equinor can resume Empire Wind construction off New York.
The project is 60% complete and aims to power 500,000 homes.
Equinor says it faces termination if construction does not restart by January 16.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump paused the project over radar interference concerns.
This case follows a ruling allowing Revolution Wind to continue, with ongoing offshore-wind challenges.

History

Historical Context

The Empire Wind project, initiated by Equinor, aims to provide renewable energy to New York, with a capacity of over 2 gigawatts. Initially paused in 2020 due to radar concerns, it faced further delays from regulatory challenges. As of 2025, Empire Wind 1 is 60% complete and expected to power approximately 388,000 homes, reflecting New York's commitment to achieving 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035.

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Story summary

A federal judge will decide whether Equinor can resume Empire Wind construction off New York.
The project is 60% complete and aims to power 500,000 homes.
Equinor says it faces termination if construction does not restart by January 16.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump paused the project over radar interference concerns.
This case follows a ruling allowing Revolution Wind to continue, with ongoing offshore-wind challenges.

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