The developer behind a major offshore wind farm destined to power New York is making an urgent plea to a federal judge, seeking relief from an order issued by the Trump administration that threatens to terminate the multi-billion dollar project.
A Critical Hearing for Clean Energy
On Wednesday 14 January 2026, Norwegian energy giant Equinor was set to argue its case before District Judge Carl J. Nichols, an appointee of former President Donald Trump. The company is asking the court to set aside an order that paused construction on its Empire Wind project, which is already 60% complete and designed to supply electricity to over 500,000 homes.
Equinor has warned that the project will likely face cancellation if work cannot restart imminently. The company cites the tight scheduling of specialised installation vessels and the crippling financial losses incurred by the delay. "Right now the project is in a critical situation," stated Molly Morris, Equinor’s senior vice president overseeing Empire Wind. "Construction must resume by mid-January to avoid cascading delays that could ultimately lead to a cancellation."
National Security Pause Sparks Legal Battles
The Empire Wind development is one of five major offshore wind projects on the US East Coast that the Trump administration froze just days before Christmas, invoking unspecified national security concerns. This move has triggered a wave of lawsuits from developers and supportive states aiming to block the order.
This week's hearing is the second in a series of three legal challenges. In a significant precedent, a judge ruled on Monday that work could resume on the Revolution Wind project serving Rhode Island and Connecticut, while the administration considers mitigation measures. The Trump administration has offered no detailed explanation for its security concerns, despite the projects having undergone years of review that included the Department of Defense.
Morris emphasised that Equinor has received no specifics on the alleged risks: "We have been clear and consistent that we are ready to address any additional security concerns that were not already addressed through our lengthy engagement with various defense agencies."
Global Trend vs. US Policy Shift
The administration's stance places it at odds with the global shift towards renewable energy. The offshore wind market is expanding worldwide, led by China in new installations. In 2024, nearly all new electricity added to grids globally was from renewable sources. Experts universally agree that a massive build-out of renewables is essential to combat climate change.
President Trump has been a vocal critic of wind power, recently labelling wind farms as "losers" that lose money, spoil landscapes, and kill birds. The current legal battle over Empire Wind is part of a broader pattern. The project's federal lease was finalised in March 2017, during Trump's first term, with final approval granted in February 2024. Equinor's LLC has already invested approximately $4 billion in the venture.
The project has faced previous interruptions. Work was halted in April 2025, restarted a month later, and was paused again in the pre-Christmas order. New York’s attorney general has also sued the administration over the pauses affecting Empire Wind and the Sunrise Wind project.
Following Monday's hearing, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers defended the pause as necessary to protect national security, expressing confidence in "ultimate victory on the issue." The outcome of Wednesday's hearing will now determine the immediate fate of a cornerstone project in America's clean energy transition.
