New York’s stalled Empire Wind offshore wind project just got a court-ordered green light to restart construction for now.
Judge Carl J. Nichols of the US District Court for the District of Columbia has granted a preliminary injunction allowing construction to resume on the Outer Continental Shelf for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind project. The ruling temporarily blocks a December 22, 2025, suspension order issued by the US Department of the Interior while the underlying lawsuit continues.
“Empire Wind has demonstrated that it will suffer irreparable harm,” said Nichols, who was nominated to the bench by Trump.
The legal fight itself isn’t over. The court will still decide whether the Interior Department had the authority to halt construction. But for the moment, the injunction allows Empire Wind to resume work that was forced to stop late last year.
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said in response to the judge’s decision, “When they shut [Empire Wind] down right before Christmas … it drove a huge hole in our energy resiliency grid planning. So, I’m proud to say that the company has been successful in court. We’re going to continue doing what we have to do every single step of the way, but for now, the wind turbines will be turning on.”
The Trump administration has yet to provide any evidence for its decision that offshore wind is a security threat.
Developer Equinor says it’s now focused on safely resuming construction and continuing to work with the federal government as the project moves forward.
Empire Wind is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and is meant to be a near-term boost to New York’s power supply. Once completed, the offshore wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 500,000 homes – an impactful addition as electricity demand continues to rise.
“Empire Wind is critical to securing New York’s electric grid, stabilizing rising energy costs for local communities, creating jobs, and achieving energy independence,” said Liz Burdock, CEO of Oceantic Network.
Equinor filed the lawsuit after the Interior Department ordered construction suspended in December. The company has coordinated with federal agencies on national security reviews since signing its lease in 2017, including ongoing engagement with the Department of Defense and regular coordination with the US Coast Guard and other marine responders.
The project is already more than 60% complete, and Equinor has invested more than $4 billion to date, with $2.7 billion already drawn under project financing.
As of September 30, 2025, Empire Wind carried a gross book value of roughly $3.1 billion. That total includes the redevelopment of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, a key staging area for offshore wind construction that has supported nearly 4,000 construction jobs.
Just days ago, a federal judge cleared Revolution Wind to get back to work, granting its injunction after finding the Trump administration’s stop-work order wasn’t backed by an urgent security threat that would justify an emergency shutdown.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (2,586 MW), Sunrise Wind (924 MW), and Vineyard Wind 1 (800 MW) are still subject to the administration’s construction pause and lease suspension.
Read more: Trump reversal revives Empire Wind, NY’s offshore energy giant
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