FOLLOW US

A transatlantic clash over renewable energy is unfolding in U.S. courtrooms, as European energy giants push back against a sweeping federal order. Equinor sues the Trump administration, joining Danish renewable leader Ørsted in seeking injunctions against an administration directive that halted construction on all U.S. offshore wind projects.

The move marks a sharp escalation in a dispute that has rattled the renewable energy sector like a sudden squall at sea.

Legal Challenges Filed in Washington

The $5 billion Revolution Wind project, a joint venture between Ørsted and Global Infrastructure Partners’ Skyborn Renewables, filed a supplemental complaint Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The project—featuring turbines rising like skyscrapers from the Atlantic—sits off the coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Developers argue the federal order unlawfully froze progress just as construction neared critical milestones.

Ørsted said it will continue engaging with the administration but maintains that the suspension, issued through the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, violates existing law.

Equinor Joins the Fight

Later Friday, Norwegian energy company Equinor said it, too, is heading to the same federal court, challenging the halt of its Empire Wind project off the coast of New York.

The federal government paused leases for five East Coast offshore wind developments in December, citing “national security risks” identified by the Department of War in recently completed classified reports.

Equinor said it has coordinated closely with federal officials on national security reviews since securing its lease in 2017, including consultations with the Department of War, and has complied with all relevant requirements.

A Pattern of Disruption in Renewable Energy

The offshore wind stoppage is the latest in a series of actions that have sent tremors through the renewable energy industry. The Trump administration has previously paused federal permits and leasing for wind projects both on land and offshore, leaving developers navigating months of uncertainty.

President Donald Trump has also publicly criticized wind power, deriding what he once called “big ugly windmills.”

Projects Near Completion Caught in the Crossfire

The federal government first paused Revolution Wind in August, a move that unsettled the industry because the project was nearing completion. Construction crews were left idle at sea until a federal judge ruled in September that work could resume.

Revolution Wind aims to deliver 704 megawatts of offshore power to Connecticut and Rhode Island and is expected to create more than 2,000 direct jobs. Ørsted said the project secured all required federal and state permits in 2023.

Empire Wind’s Stop-and-Go Timeline

The administration halted Empire Wind in the spring, though negotiations with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, later allowed construction to continue. Equinor said the project is now 60% complete, with dozens of vessels already deployed.

Once finished, Empire Wind is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 500,000 New York homes.

Broader Pushback Builds

The administration’s order also froze work on Vineyard Wind 1 off Martha’s Vineyard, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, and Sunrise Wind near New York.

Opposition is growing. Dominion Energy Virginia, the developer behind Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, filed its own legal challenge last week, calling the administration’s action arbitrary and capricious.

In December, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, labeled the pause unlawful and said she was working closely with affected states and developers to ensure the projects move forward.