News | Headlines US wind construction ban lifted
order, which will proceed.
Empire Wind commented that it will now focus on safely restarting construction activities that were halted during the suspension period. In addition, the project will
USA Offshore wind
The US District Court for the District of Columbia on 15 January granted Empire Offshore Wind LLC a preliminary injunction that allows construction activities to resume on the Outer Continental Shelf for the 2 GW Empire Wind project. It is 15-30 miles southeast of Long Island, New York. This does not affect the underlying lawsuit challenging the US Department of the Interior’s December 22, 2025 suspension
continue to engage with the US government to ensure the safe, secure and responsible execution of its operations.
Empire Wind is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to deliver a new, near-term source of electricity for New York, regarded as critical for the state’s power supply, and intended to bolster grid reliability at a time of rapidly growing demand. Once completed,
the project will be rated at 810-816 MW from 54 Vestas V236 15 MW turbines, with expected commercial operation in 2027, rising to a possible 2 GW if the second phase of the project as originally envisaged, Empire Wind 2, is realised. The aim now is to reset and rebid the project as a stronger offering in future NY solicitations.
Empire Wind 2 was originally planned for over 1200 MW, but its development faced significant challenges, resulting in termination in early 2025 owing to rising costs and supply chain issues. ● In December 2025 Revolution Wind was granted a preliminary injunction by the US District Court for the District of Columbia following a suspension order imposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in December 2025. The ruling permitted the immediate resumption of activities associated with the 704 MW Revolution Wind project located off the Rhode Island coast while ongoing legal proceedings contest the BOEM director’s orders from 22 August and 22 December 2025.
Jiangsu reports 13.49 GW of offshore wind connected
China Offshore wind State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power has reported that as of the end of 2025, Jiangsu’s offshore wind power capacity connected to the provincial grid had reached 13.49 GW, the highest level among China’s provinces. This capacity is expected to supply more than 30 billion kWh of renewable electricity annually to the Yangtze River Delta region, equivalent to an annual reduction of more than 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Jiangsu has now established a mature and comprehensive OWP development
framework spanning intertidal zones, nearshore waters, and far-offshore areas – with continued expansion across the sector, including Yancheng, a city home to the country’s largest OWP industrial cluster. Jiangsu’s OWP grid-connection capabilities have developed in parallel, with the commissioning of the nation’s first 110 kV and 220 kV offshore booster stations, as well as the country’s largest OWP grid-connection transmission facility. “Once aggregated, Jiangsu’s OWP is transmitted to major load centres in the Yangtze River Delta via six
ABB to upgrade Bruce Power NPPs
Canada Nuclear power ABB has been selected by Bruce Power to supply advanced excitation technology that will help extend the life of eight units at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario – one of Canada’s largest sources of low-carbon electricity. ABB will modernise the existing excitation systems, which contribute to stable power generation, at both Bruce A and Bruce B stations. Replacing the facility’s infrastructure with ABB’s UNITROL 6000 X-power technology should enable improved reliability and operational efficiency across the units. Engineered specifically for the requirements of generators in nuclear power plants, UNITROL excitation systems are said to deliver control
performance to ensure synchronous machines operate safely and in full compliance with grid codes. Backed by validated models and advanced simulation services, they are delivered from ABB’s Centre of Excellence in Montreal, which has nearly five decades of experience in the nuclear market. Nuclear energy, which the government of Canada views as an important component of a diversified energy mix, currently supplies approximately 15 % of the country’s electricity demand. It also plays a central role in maintaining Ontario’s power system, with nuclear providing 53 % of the province’s electricity mix in 2024. As part of Bruce Power’s Major Component Replacement Project, Units 3-8 at the Bruce
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high-capacity cross-river transmission corridors within the province. During the 15th Five-Year Plan the province’s aim is to progress the planning and construction of key infrastructure, including the Sutong GIL DC link and the third phase of the Yangzhou- Zhenjiang DC project.
Looking nationwide, China’s cumulative OWP installed capacity has been ranked first globally for four consecutive years. By the end of the Five-Year Plan, the country’s total OWP capacity is expected to exceed 100 million kW.
Nuclear Generating Station are scheduled to be refurbished by 2033. A renewed Unit 6 was successfully returned to service in 2023 ahead of schedule, while Unit 3 and Unit 4 outages remain on track. The first systems in the excitation project are expected on site by the end of 2027.
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