The US District Court for the District of Columbia has granted a preliminary injunction allowing Equinor to resume construction on its Empire Wind 1 offshore wind farm. The project was over 60 percent complete when a stop-work order was issued by the US government in December 2025.
Equinor stated on January 15 that its lawsuit against the US Department of the Interior’s stop-work order will continue. “Empire Wind will now focus on safely restarting construction activities halted during the suspension. The project will engage with the US government to ensure safe, secure, and responsible operations,” the company reported.
Empire Offshore Wind LLC, an Equinor subsidiary, filed a civil suit on January 2, 2026, against the order affecting five offshore wind projects, including Empire Wind 1. A preliminary injunction was requested to continue construction during litigation.
Located 25-48 kilometers (15-30 miles) southeast of Long Island, Empire Wind 1 will feature 54 Vestas 15 MW wind turbines. The project aims to start generating power in late 2026 and achieve full commissioning by 2027.
The 810 MW Empire Wind 1 has an agreement with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to supply electricity to New York, becoming the first offshore wind farm connected to New York City’s grid.
On January 9, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed lawsuits against the DOI’s order for Empire Wind 1 and Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind, aiming to supply power to over one million New York homes.
The injunction allowing Equinor to proceed with Empire Wind 1 follows a similar court decision for the Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables joint venture, Revolution Wind, which was close to completion before the pause. Once operational, the 704 MW Revolution Wind will serve Connecticut and Rhode Island, with power expected soon.
The stop-work order impacts five major projects in US federal waters, with Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Vineyard Wind 1 still under construction suspension.
Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz