The US government is in the process of formulating settlement agreements to cancel TotalEnergies’ Attentive Energy and Carolina Long Bay offshore wind leases. The government plans to reimburse TotalEnergies USD 928 million (EUR 806 million) for the financial bids used to secure these areas during the previous administration, reported the New York Times on March 17.
Documents reviewed by the New York Times indicate that TotalEnergies will abandon plans to develop offshore wind farms and will invest in natural gas infrastructure in Texas. The US Department of the Interior (DOI) will cancel the leases, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will compensate the company for its winning bids.
TotalEnergies entered the US offshore wind market by acquiring lease areas in the New York Bight and off the coast of the Carolinas through federal auctions in 2022. The company secured the Attentive Energy area off New York in a joint venture with EnBW for USD 795 million, while the Carolina Long Bay lease was acquired solo for USD 160 million.
The Attentive Energy lease in the New York Bight covers a large offshore zone off New York and New Jersey, spanning about 132 square miles (342 square kilometers). The project was planned as a multi-phase venture through a joint effort between TotalEnergies, Corio Generation, and Rise Light & Power. The first project, Attentive Energy One, was chosen in New York’s third offshore wind solicitation round in 2023 before it was cancelled due to stakeholder challenges. In 2024, New Jersey selected the Attentive Energy Two project in its third solicitation, but canceled its fourth solicitation in early 2025.
TotalEnergies paused its projects in November 2024 post-election, citing political uncertainty. The developer re-entered Attentive Energy One in New York’s fifth solicitation round, which closed without awards this year.
The Carolina Long Bay lease area, secured in 2022, is located off North Carolina and has potential for around 1 GW of installed capacity.
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Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz