The US has halted a $5bn offshore wind project that Norway’s Equinor is developing, dealing a blow to the embattled renewable power sector and signalling an aggressive new push against clean energy initiatives.
Interior secretary Doug Burgum ordered Equinor to “immediately halt all construction activities” on its 810 megawatt Empire Wind project off the coast of New York City, accusing the previous Biden administration of a rushed and insufficient analysis when it approved the group’s plans.
The decision to pause the project marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s offensive against the country’s offshore wind sector, which has prompted leading developers, including Shell and TotalEnergies, to reduce or slow down their American ventures.