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Debris from broken wind turbine blades washes up on Massachusetts beaches – Boston 25 News

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NANTUCKET, Massachusetts — An investigation is underway following an “incident” in waters off the coast of Massachusetts over the weekend that damaged the blade of a massive wind turbine, officials said.

According to the developers of the offshore wind project, rotor blade damage occurred on Saturday evening on a Vineyard Wind wind turbine that is almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower.

“Vineyard Wind experienced blade damage to a wind turbine in its offshore development area. No personnel or third parties were in the vicinity of the turbine at the time and all employees of Vineyard Wind and its contractors are safe,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, has now set up a safety perimeter and is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to inform mariners of a 500-meter safety zone around the affected turbine.

General Electric is conducting an investigation into the incident.

“GE, the manufacturer and installer of the project’s turbines and blades, will now analyze the root cause of the incident,” the statement continued. “While that analysis takes place, Vineyard Wind will continue to work with federal, state, tribal and local stakeholders to ensure the health and safety of its workforce, mariners and the environment.”

The Nantucket Current reported that pieces of the broken turbine blade were found washed up on Nobadeer Beach, Madaket Beach and Ladies Beach.

Vineyard Wind mobilized debris recovery teams on Nantucket to search the island’s south-facing beaches for debris damaged by the rotor blades and successfully recovered three large fragments.

The company stressed that it is “fully committed to the rapid and safe recovery of all debris, while tirelessly keeping the safety of the public and environmental protection in mind.”

Federal, state, tribal and local authorities are assisting General Electric in investigating the cause of the damage.

Vineyard Wind is the country’s first large-scale offshore wind farm, currently powering tens of thousands of Massachusetts homes.

The GE Haliade-X turbines have a height of 254 meters at the tip of their rotor blades.

Vineyard Wind 1 (Avangrid)

Vineyard Wind Turbine Leaves New Bedford Vineyard Wind Turbine Leaves New Bedford (Vineyard Wind)

A planned offshore wind farm moved a step closer to construction on Tuesday: The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it had approved the project. It is to be built in federal waters near Rhode Island, south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. FILE – Three wind turbines from Deepwater Wind sit in the water off Block Island, Rhode Island, the nation’s first offshore wind farm, Aug. 15, 2016. Another planned offshore wind farm from Revolution Wind moved a step closer to construction on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, when the Interior Department announced it had approved the project. It would be built in federal waters about 15 miles southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island, and south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File) (Michael Dwyer/AP)

ORION Wind Vessel Vineyard (Vineyard Wind)

Construction of the country’s first large wind farm is currently underway off the coast of Massachusetts Construction of the country’s first large wind farm is currently underway off the coast of Massachusetts

Location of Vineyard Wind’s offshore wing project (Photo courtesy of Vineyard Wind)

Vineyard wind turbine off Nantucket (Peter Sutters, Nantucket Current)

Vineyard wind turbine off Nantucket (Grace Mofsen Charity, Nantucket Current)

Vineyard wind turbine off Nantucket (Peter Sutters, Nantucket Current)

Vineyard wind turbine off Nantucket (Grace Mofsen Charity, Nantucket Current)

Vineyard wind turbine off Nantucket (Grace Mofsen Charity, Nantucket Current)

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