A federal judge in Washington today allowed the resumption of construction of an offshore wind park by the Norwegian group Equinor off the coast of New York, three days after a similar decision for another project by the Danish Ørsted.
Although the decision was made in a summary proceeding and not on the merits of the case, it represents yet another setback for the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who ordered the suspension of all major offshore wind farm projects in the United States at the end of December, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Empire Wind project is expected to be the first to supply wind power directly to the city of New York when it is fully operational by the end of 2027, with the capacity to power 500,000 homes.
Equinor has already invested more than four billion dollars (3.4 billion euros, at current exchange rates) in this project, which began almost ten years ago and is 60% complete, according to the company.
“Empire Wind will now focus on resuming construction operations,” said Equinor in a statement, adding that its executives “will continue to engage with the U.S. government to ensure a safe and responsible implementation.”
At the end of December, the Trump administration ordered the suspension, described as temporary, of the five offshore wind farm projects under way in the United States.
The decision was justified by “risks to national security,” with the Interior Department referring to confidential reports, without providing further details.
A 2019 report from the U.S. Department of Energy indicates that the turbines may cause interference with radar, including radar used for military purposes.
Last Monday, another federal judge in Washington had already given the green light to move forward with another project led by Ørsted and named Revolution Wind, which is expected to supply power to more than 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
