New York Construction Rwport staff writer
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James are moving to intervene in a federal lawsuit that threatens construction of the Sunrise Wind offshore wind project, a major renewable energy development expected to supply electricity to about 600,000 New York homes.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by Green Oceans and other plaintiffs, seeks to overturn federal approvals for the 924-megawatt project. State officials said a successful challenge could delay or potentially cancel the development.
“Offshore wind projects like Sunrise Wind will not only provide needed clean energy that will help our environment, but also create good-paying union jobs, benefit our local economies, and help secure our energy independence,” Hochul said in a statement.
“We successfully fought the Trump administration’s multiple attempts to stop construction on this fully-permitted project and expect that we will prevail against this lawsuit. While Washington Republicans are hell bent on taking us backward, here in New York we remain committed to protecting our clean energy future.”
James said the state is stepping in because of concerns the federal government may not adequately defend prior project approvals.
“Contrary to the president’s claims, wind energy is essential for our economy, our environment, and our electric grid,” James said. “Sunrise Wind will power hundreds of thousands of homes, support thousands of good-paying jobs, and help protect New Yorkers from pollution and climate change.”
Sunrise Wind’s project is being developed by Ørsted and Eversource Energy off the coast of Long Island. The project is expected to begin delivering power to New York’s electric grid later this year and become fully operational in 2027.
Construction activity tied to the project is expected to support more than 3,500 jobs across construction, steel manufacturing, shipbuilding and operations. State officials estimate the project will generate more than $875 million in economic benefits for New York by the end of its third year of operations.
The project has also generated substantial construction and supply-chain activity in the Northeast marine and energy sectors, including upgrades to port infrastructure and vessel deployment supporting offshore turbine installation.
State officials argue the development is critical to strengthening New York’s electric grid as demand rises from transportation and building electrification. The project will add nearly 1,000 megawatts of generation capacity, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels and improve reliability on Long Island.
The legal dispute follows previous federal efforts to halt or slow offshore wind development. According to the state, the federal administration previously issued a stop-work order on Sunrise Wind and paused approvals for wind projects more broadly.
Recent court rulings obtained by the attorney general’s office, including a preliminary injunction allowing Sunrise Wind construction to continue, underscore the importance of ensuring the state can directly defend the project in court.
