NEWS

(Bloomberg) – Equinor ASA got no new signals that the Trump administration would reconsider the halt imposed on the Empire Wind project when its CEO met with a top White House official last week. Now the company must decide whether it will kill the project. “If no progress is made within days, Equinor will be forced to terminate the project,” Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas, said Monday. “We are still fighting every day to find a resolution.”

That came after there was no indication of a change in stance from U.S. officials when the Norwegian oil and gas company’s Chief Executive Officer Anders Opedal and other top officials met with U.S. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett on May 6, spokesperson Magnus Eidsvold said Monday.

A termination would cause the company to lose much of its $2.7 billion investment on the project. “It would be a direct impact to Equinor and our balance sheet,” Morris said.

The $5 billion project was halted in April when Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the Biden administration had rushed its approvals. Empire 1 was fully-permitted and slated to start commercial operation in 2027. Its 54 turbines were designed to power 500,000 homes.

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