Norwegian energy group Equinor has filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. Department of the Interior’s order suspending its Empire Wind offshore project, seeking to keep construction going while the case is heard.
The filing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia includes a request for a preliminary injunction that would allow work on the project to continue during the litigation, Equinor said.
The move follows last week’s decision by the Trump administration to suspend leases for five large offshore wind projects under construction off the U.S. East Coast, citing national security concerns. The announcement sent shares of offshore wind developers sharply lower.
Offshore wind projects have faced repeated disruptions under U.S. President Donald Trump, who has criticised wind turbines as unattractive, expensive and inefficient.
Separately, Denmark’s Ørsted said on Friday it is also challenging the government’s suspension of the lease for its Revolution Wind joint venture and will seek a court injunction to block the halt to the $5 billion project.
Equinor said securing a preliminary injunction was necessary to keep Empire Wind on track during a critical execution phase and to avoid further commercial and financing impacts if the suspension remains in place.
Empire Wind is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The project is more than 60% complete and represents a significant investment in U.S. energy infrastructure, jobs and supply chains, the company added.
