Empire Offshore Wind has filed a civil action in the US District Court for the District of Columbia challenging an order by the US Department of Interior directing a suspension of work on the Empire Wind project. The filing was made on 2 January 2026. As part of the case, Empire intends to seek a preliminary injunction to allow construction to continue while the litigation proceeds. Equinor considers the order to be unlawful and says it threatens ongoing work and the project schedule.
Empire states that it has coordinated with federal authorities on national security reviews since executing the lease in 2017 and has complied with identified requirements. The company says it meets regularly with security and safety authorities, including the US Coast Guard and other marine first responders.
Empire Wind is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and is intended to supply electricity to around 500,000 homes in New York once completed.
The project is more than 60 per cent complete. Equinor has invested over USD 4 billion in the project, with USD 2.7 billion drawn under project financing. As of 30 September 2025, the project had a gross book value of about USD 3.1 billion, including the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Construction activity has supported close to 4,000 jobs.
Empire and its contractors are complying with the suspension order while continuing activities required to protect health, safety and the environment.
