Offshore wind: legal files opened by Ørsted and Equinor against US government's suspension of projects

Equinor filed a civil lawsuit against the US District Court regarding the suspension of its project Empire Wind, announced the Norwegian oil and energy company on 02/01/2026.

On 22/12/2025, the company received a notice "from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), ordering the suspension of ongoing activities on the Outer Continental Shelf citing national security concerns", Equinor said.

The construction of the Empire Wind project began in 2024 and the foundation installation was completed in fall of 2025. "Equinor has invested over $4 Bn of which $2.7 Bn has been drawn under the project financing. Empire Wind has per 30 September 2025 a gross book value of around $3.1 Bn, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal", the company added.

"The Department of Interior has confirmed that a total of five offshore wind projects under construction have received notice".

Earlier in december 2025, an other legal file was opened by Ørsted because of the lease suspension ordered by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s BOEM, for the Revolution Wind Project. The stop-work order was received…