Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind Receives Injunction Against Trump Administration
A U.S. District Court Judge issued a preliminary injunction on Monday, February 2, for Sunrise Wind against the Trump administration’s December stop-work order. With today’s ruling, all five of the under-construction offshore wind farms have received permission to resume work despite the administration’s claims of new information about potential radar interference from the wind turbine blades and towers.
Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind had reported in early January that it would follow the lead of the other wind farms and also file seeking a court order. The company said that its project was 45 percent complete, with 44 of its 84 foundations installed as part of a total investment of $7 billion.
The New York Times reports that Judge Royce Lamberth said during a two-hour hearing today that he was unconvinced after reviewing under seal the classified report, which is the basis for the government’s claims about national security issues.
“Purportedly new classified information does not constitute a sufficient explanation,” the judge ruled, according to The New York Times. Lambert reportedly called the administration’s actions “likely arbitrary and capricious” and ruled the company would be irreparably harmed unless work resumed.
Ørsted told the court the stop-work order, which was imposed on December 22, was costing it $2.5 million a day.
Sunrise Wind is the least advanced of the five projects that were stopped. It is located approximately 30 miles east of Long Island, New York. Due to be completed in 2027, it will have a capacity of 924 MW.
Other judges also questioned the government’s argument. One said the issue, if there is one, relates to operations and not construction. The companies each argued they had spent years in review and received approvals from the Department of Defense and others.
The orders permit the companies to resume offshore construction work while the courts continue to hear the case challenging the stop-work order. Last week, Dominion Energy confirmed that it had installed the first turbine for its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project after receiving its injunction, while Vineyard Wind 1 shipped out its last tower as it nears completion by the end of next month.
In the past, the Department of the Interior has vowed to continue to fight these five cases in the courts. It has also sought to stop other projects, including Maryland’s offshore wind farm, before they begin construction.
The opposition to offshore wind by the Trump administration has effectively stopped most future development and ended the schedule of future lease sales. The Biden administration was targeting at least 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity. Bloomberg estimates that the U.S., in the near term, will only reach approximately 6 GW of offshore wind energy capacity due to the Trump administration’s efforts to curtail the industry.
Ørsted to Sell European Onshore Business for $1.7 Billion
Ørsted, the world’s largest offshore wind developer, is selling its entire European onshore business as the embattled firm looks to strengthen its balance sheet after a major rights issue last year.
Ørsted on Tuesday said it had signed a deal with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its fifth flagship fund, Copenhagen Infrastructure V (CI V), to divest its entire European onshore business.
Ørsted’s European onshore business comprises onshore wind, solar, and battery storage projects in Ireland, the UK, Germany, and Spain.
The total value of the transaction is $1.7 billion (1.44 billion euros) with closing expected in the second quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.
The sale marks the completion of the divestment program for Ørsted, which last year turned to its shareholders – including the Danish state – for a $9.35 billion rights issue to raise funds amid major industry headwinds, especially in the U.S.
Last year, Ørsted signed a deal to divest 50% in its 2.9 GW Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm to funds managed by Apollo Global Management in a transaction valued at $5.6 billion.
At the end of 2025, the Denmark-based firm also signed an agreement with Taiwan’s Cathay Life Insurance and its affiliate Cathay Power to sell 55% of its 632?MW Greater Changhua 2 Offshore Wind Farm in the Taiwan Strait for about $790 million.
The sale of the European onshore business to CIP for the equivalent of about $1.7 billion represents the third cornerstone transaction that Ørsted had previously announced in efforts to bolster its balance sheet and stop cash bleeding.
“Ørsted has thereby finalised its divestment programme as planned and significantly strengthened its financial foundation,” the company said today.
With the divestment of its European onshore business, Ørsted has signed transactions during 2025-2026 with proceeds totalling about $7.3 billion (46 billion Danish crowns), delivering on its target of more than $5.5 billion (35 billion crowns) in divestment proceeds during this period.
“We’ve now substantially strengthened Ørsted’s financial position,” chief financial officer Trond Westlie said on Tuesday.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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