US to pay TotalEnergies to drop offshore wind leases
Read Original Source
A sign for the French company TotalEnergies is displayed at headquarters March 21, 2025, in La Defense business district outside of Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File) PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Trump administration will pay $1 billion to a French company to walk away from two U.S. offshore wind leases as the administration ramps up its campaign against offshore wind and other renewable energy.
AI Summary
Main Idea: The Trump administration will pay TotalEnergies $1 billion to give up two offshore wind leases, marking a major move against wind power and toward fossil fuels.
Key Points:
- The deal covers wind projects off North Carolina and New York, and TotalEnergies says it will use the refunded money for oil, gas, and a liquefied natural gas plant in Texas.
- The Interior Department called the agreement an “innovative” way to stop support for what it sees as costly and unreliable offshore wind.
- Critics, including Democratic governors and clean energy groups, called it a waste of taxpayer money and an effort to block clean energy.
- The administration had already tried to halt offshore wind projects, but federal judges reversed those orders; one East Coast project is now starting to send power to the grid.
Impact on the People
Negative Impact
Taxpayers may cover a $1 billion payout, and fewer offshore wind projects could mean less clean power and fewer jobs in coastal communities.
Positive Impact
The deal could steer more money into fossil fuel and LNG projects, which supporters say may support energy supply and lower some power costs.
How did each entity affect people?
Rate how each entity in this article affected the American people.
- Primary:TotalEnergiescompany
Candidate Entities10 candidates · 5 weighted vote min · 70% decision
- TotalEnergiescompanyPrimaryEvaluated
Primary company receiving the payout and agreeing to abandon U.S. offshore wind development.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Department of Interiorgovernment agency or bodyPrimaryAI selected
Central federal agency announcing and executing the reimbursement agreement.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - President Donald TrumppersonPrimaryAI selected
Central actor whose administration is paying TotalEnergies to drop offshore wind leases and whose energy policy shift drives.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Dominion EnergycompanyMajorAI selected
Major wind developer whose Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is directly referenced as advancing despite the administration’s pushback.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Governor Josh SteinpersonMajorAI selected
North Carolina governor quoted condemning the deal and highlighting state offshore wind plans.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Governor Kathy HochulpersonMajorAI selected
New York governor quoted criticizing the deal as taxpayer abuse and pay-to-play pressure.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Secretary Doug BurgumpersonMajorAI selected
Named Interior secretary publicly defending the agreement and speaking for the department.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold
Comments 0
Comments here are the same thread shown when this article appears in The Pulse.
No comments on this article yet.
Sign in to comment