Vineyard Wind Warns of More Debris from Wind Turbine

July 18, 2024

A GE Haliade-X Turbine Stands in the Vineyard Wind 1 Project Area South of Martha’s Vineyard. Photo Credit: Worldview Films

Vineyard Wind on Thursday warned that more debris from a broken offshore wind turbine could wash ashore along the Massachusetts coast after a large remaining portion of the damaged blade fell into the ocean.

Vessel crews are working to remove the debris, but weather conditions are difficult, the company said.

Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, said late on Wednesday that the remaining blade was compromised and could detach from the turbine, which was made by GE Vernova.

The company has not said why the blade broke apart, which happened on Saturday and caused debris to wash up on beaches on Nantucket Island during the busy summer tourist season.

Vineyard Wind said it has deployed workers to Nantucket in anticipation of more debris washing ashore and is monitoring other coastal communities.

The first major U.S. offshore wind farm, Vineyard Wind is located 15 miles south of Nantucket and is still under construction, with only about a third of planned turbines in the water.

U.S. officials ordered the wind farm to stop power production and construction until further notice following the blade damage.

(Reuters - Reporting by Nichola Groom, Editing by Franklin Paul and Aurora Ellis)