Good news for Equinor’s 810 MW Empire Wind I project, as Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has lifted the stop-work. Equinor aims to be able to execute the planned activities in the offshore wind installation window in 2025 and reach its planned operation date by the end of 2027.

Work on Empire Wind had been paused since April 16, when Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ordered a halt to construction. The authorities had not given a specific reason why the order for a halt was issued, after the project had secured all necessary permits, going through a seven-year approval process.

Equinor has stated the project is about one third finished, most with onshore construction. No monopile or turbines have been installed yet. The company has stated that they were losing $50 million per week on the project and had 11 vessels on standby.

The administration has had an aggressive anti-offshore wind policy, with the President saying no new offshore wind turbines will be installed under his watch. However, Equinor currently has all the permits needed and has invested $2.5 billion so far in the project. An abandoning of the project, due to an unlawful halt order from the authorities would have sent strong signal of uncertainty investing in the US and could have damage the pipeline of future offshore wind project even post- Trump, as permits no longer secured projects.

Image source: Heerema Marine Contractors