U.S. Court Allows Equinor (EQNR) to Resume $5.3B Empire Wind Project
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 15 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Project Restart Ruling: A U.S. District Court judge ruled that Equinor can resume work on the Empire Wind project, marking the second time this week a federal court has blocked the Trump administration's halt on offshore wind developments, indicating strong support for renewable energy initiatives.
- Economic Impact Assessment: The judge noted that further delays could cause 'imminent irreparable harm' to the project's economic viability, with potential losses reaching $5.3 billion, underscoring the urgency of the construction schedule.
- Accelerated Legal Proceedings: The judge decided to pause the stop-work order while considering the merits of the lawsuit on an 'expedited basis', reflecting the court's recognition of the importance of renewable energy projects and their economic implications.
- Loan Default Risk: Equinor warned that delays beyond January 16 would increase the risk of loan defaults, further impacting the project's financing capabilities, highlighting the critical need to advance the project in a timely manner.
Analyst Views on EQNR
Wall Street analysts forecast EQNR stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for EQNR is 23.89 USD with a low forecast of 22.00 USD and a high forecast of 25.79 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
2 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 25.630
Low
22.00
Averages
23.89
High
25.79
Current: 25.630
Low
22.00
Averages
23.89
High
25.79
About EQNR
Equinor ASA, formerly Statoil ASA is a Norway-based international energy company. The Company’s purpose is to turn natural resources into energy. Equinor sells crude oil and delivers natural gas to the European market. It is also engaged in processing, refining, offshore wind and carbon capture and storage activities. Equinor ASA has five reporting segments: Exploration & Production Norway (E&P Norway), Exploration & Production International (E&P International), Exploration & Production USA (E&P USA), Marketing, Midstream & Processing (MMP) and Renewables (REN). The Company has several subsidiaries such as Equinor Nigeria Energy Company Ltd, Equinor Wind Power AS, Equinor International Netherlands BV and Equinor Brasil Energia Ltda.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
