Equinor challenges US Order to Suspend Empire Wind Project

Norwegian energy group Equinor announced on Friday that it had filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. district?court for the District of?Columbia?challenging a U.S. Department of the Interior's order to suspend the Empire Wind project.

Equinor added: "As part in that case, Empire will seek a preliminary order and allow construction to proceed while the litigation continues." The Trump administration has suspended five large offshore wind projects currently under construction near the U.S. East Coast due to 'national security concerns.' Shares of offshore wind companies have plunged.

The suspension was the latest blow to offshore wind developers who have been repeatedly disrupted in their multi-billion dollar projects by U.S. president Donald Trump. Trump has stated that he finds windmills ugly, expensive and inefficient.

Orsted, a Danish company, said it would challenge the U.S. Government's decision to suspend the lease of its Revolution Wind?joint-venture and seek a court order against its decision to halt the $5 billion offshore wind?project.

Equinor stated that filing a preliminary injunction was necessary to keep the project on track in this crucial execution phase, and to avoid any further commercial or financing impacts if it remains in place.

According to Equinor, Empire Wind was developed in contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The company stated that the project was more than 60% completed and represented a major investment into U.S. energy supply chains and infrastructure as well as jobs. (Reporting and editing by Edward Tobin in Bengaluru, Anushree mukherjee from Bengaluru)

(source: Reuters)