Equinor resumes New York offshore wind project of 810 MW after stop-work order lifted

Norway’s Equinor is resuming construction on its Empire Wind project off the coast of New York after the federal authorities lifted a stop-work order issued in mid-April. The project’s first phase, the 810 MW Empire Wind 1, is expected to generate electricity equivalent to the needs of 500,000 homes in the US state.

The construction of Empire Wind 1, the first offshore wind project to feed directly into New York’s power grid, began on April 1. However, the United States Department of the Interior, through its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), ordered the work to stop on April 16, pending the completion of a review.

On May 20, Equinor said its subsidiary Empire Offshore Wind has been informed by BOEM that the stop-work order had been lifted, allowing construction activities to resume.

“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,” stated Anders Opedal, President and CEO of Equinor.

Commercial operation is planned for 2027

In a press release, the company majority-owned by the Government of Norway, explained that Empire Offshore Wind aims to be able to execute planned activities in the offshore installation window in 2025 and reach its planned commercial operation date in 2027, adding that the project is currently more than 30% complete.

The project’s second phase is planned to have 1,260 MW in capacity.

Since the early 2000s, the company has invested about USD 60 billion in energy projects in the United States, mainly in oil and gas, and more recently in low-carbon solutions, critical minerals, and renewables, reads the press release.