Equinor posted the following message on its website Monday evening, "Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire), a subsidiary of Equinor ASA, has been informed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that the stop work order has been lifted for the Empire Wind project, allowing construction activities to resume."
"We appreciate the fact that construction can now resume on Empire Wind, a project which underscores our commitment to deliver energy while supporting local economies and creating jobs," says Anders Opedal, President and CEO of Equinor ASA.
“I would like to thank the Norwegian Prime Minister Støre and Minister of Finance Stoltenberg for their support at a critical time, and that the Minister of Finance raised the situation with the U.S.administration,” said Opedal.
Equinor will perform an updated assessment of the project economics in the second quarter. Empire aims to be able to execute planned activities in the offshore installation window in 2025 and reach its planned commercial operation date in 2027. Empire will engage with suppliers and regulatory bodies to reduce the impact of the stop work order.
Hochul said, "“New York’s economic future is going to be powered by abundant, clean energy that helps our homes and businesses thrive. I fought to save clean energy jobs in New York — and we got it done.”
National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito issued the following statement following the decision:
"The administration is clearing the way for major investments to move forward—activating American shipyards, creating high-quality jobs, and accelerating the buildout of infrastructure needed to deliver reliable, domestic energy to the East Coast. With power demand surging due to AI, data centers, and advanced manufacturing, offshore wind is an important part of an all-of-the-above solution. Companies throughout the supply chain - from Louisiana to Texas to New York - will be able to see the return on their investments."
