(July 18, 2024) Federal safety officials shut down the Vineyard Wind offshore energy project indefinitely Tuesday after a blade on one of its turbines broke apart during testing last weekend.
“There were no injuries reported, but operations are shut down until further notice,” a spokesperson for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said Tuesday afternoon.
“A team of BSEE experts is on-site to work closely with Vineyard Wind on an analysis of the cause of the incident and next steps.”
This is the second recorded offshore incident involving this model of wind-turbine blade. The last occurred just two months ago off the coast of England. The turbine was part of the Dogger Bank wind farm. An investigation revealed the blade malfunctioned as a result of improper installation.
Vineyard Wind and General Electric, which supplies and installs the wind farm’s turbine blades, said they will be conducting their own investigations. Representatives from the wind farm, located 14 miles southwest of Nantucket, addressed the damage Tuesday.
“The blade experienced a breakage approximately 20 meters out from the root. The turbine was in its commissioning phase and was still undergoing testing,” Vineyard Wind communications director Craig Gilvarg said. “Nearly the entirety of the blade remains affixed to the turbine and has not fallen into the water.”
As a result of the incident, broken pieces of fiberglass and foam from the blade washed up on Nantucket’s south shore Tuesday morning.
Fiberglass and foam debris from the Vineyard Wind offshore
energy project washed up on the south shore last week.
Photo by Joan Albaugh
Nantucket lifeguards closed south shore beaches to swimming due to fiberglass fragments in the water. Larger pieces of debris were spotted floating in the ocean by boaters this weekend, according to Coast Guard sector Southeastern New England out of Woods Hole.
The beaches were reopened to swimming Wednesday morning.
Each blade installed at the wind farm measures about 350 feet from tip to turbine. So, while only a portion of the blade crumpled, the amount of material that ended up in the ocean and on beaches was still significant.
Vineyard Wind crews retrieved the three largest pieces of debris from the water Saturday immediately after the incident. Much of the smaller debris leftover, however, ended up on or near Nantucket.
A large fiberglass fragment washed ashore on Smith's Point
Tuesday.
Photo by Jeff Turner
The harbormaster’s office, Land Bank crews and a handful of Vineyard Wind employees and contractors cleaned up the majority of the debris Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, the company reported 17 cubic yards of debris, equivalent to more than six truckloads, being picked up from island beaches.
Efforts continued throughout the day, as Vineyard Wind sent another 26 employees to the island for clean-up efforts. Lifeguards pitched in again as well, donned in protective suits with gloves.
A Nantucket lifeguard in protective gear prepares to pick up
fiberglass fragments from the beach Tuesday.
Photo by Maggie Hogan
The company urged private citizens to steer clear of the debris, saying it was non-toxic but should only be handled by professionals. Some individuals handled the fiberglass segments with their bare hands and reported feeling irritated afterward.
It is not yet clear whether the debris will end up in the island landfill or transported elsewhere.
Nantucket chief environmental officer John Hedden could not be reached for comment.
Vineyard Wind representatives have yet to comment on whether or not the damaged blade still affixed to the turbine will be removed to prevent the spread of more debris.
The town is working with the wind farm on how to rectify the situation.
“The incident at Vineyard Wind is alarming and deeply concerning, to me and the entire Select Board," chair Brooke Mohr said Wednesday.
She said the town is in contact with Vineyard Wind and expects an explanation of what caused the incident. Compensation is expected as well, though Mohr said she is not sure what that compensation would look like yet.
The town has the right to pursue reimbursement under the so-called Good Neighbor Agreement it signed with Vineyard Wind almost four years ago.
"The impacts of this event will continue to unfold in the coming days and weeks. Vineyard Wind is fully responsible for the repercussions on Nantucket, and town administration and the Select Board will pursue every remedy available to us to ensure they are held accountable," Mohr said.
Representatives from both Vineyard Wind and GE, the turbine manufacturer, will attend Wednesday’s Select Board meeting, both in person and virtually, at 5:30 p.m.
"I encourage the community to participate and ask questions directly to those responsible for this incident and its aftermath," Mohr said.
Saturday’s incident is also concerning to Veronica Bonnet of ACK4Whales, she said this week, not just because the debris floating near the surface of the water could be eaten by whales, causing damage to their vital organs.
She’s worried that this won’t be the last time a blade breaks and islanders have to deal with the aftermath. If, or when Vineyard Wind resumes operations, they’ll have dozens of turbines left to install, and several other wind farms are proposed up and down the East Coast.
“This is a disaster for Nantucket beaches. This is one blade. Look at how much debris came from one blade. There are 1,400 turbines planned for south of Nantucket. Is this going to be a regular occurrence?” Bonnet said.
No personnel or third parties were in the vicinity of the turbine at the time of the incident Saturday. All employees and contractors were unharmed, according to Vineyard Wind representatives.
Reports of debris in the water first came in Saturday and the Coast Guard immediately notified mariners of the hazards via radio broadcast, they said.
A 500-meter safety zone surrounding the impacted wind turbine was also established. No reports of pollution in the water or air have been reported, according to the Coast Guard.
“The largest reported debris has been recovered or is in process of being recovered by on-site vessels; there are indications that smaller debris may remain adrift, mariners should remain cautious,” the Coast Guard said.
The company said Tuesday that clean-up teams will continue to scour island beaches for several days. If debris is found by members of the public, property owners or town officials, they are advised to immediately contact Ian Campbell: (781) 983-8943 or [email protected]
Reports of debris can also be sent directly to the cleanup contractor at arcgis.com.
Vineyard Wind officials were scheduled to attend Wednesday’s Select Board meeting to provide an update on the blade failure and debris recovery efforts.
Governor Maura Healey is aware of the situation.
“Obviously, we’ll work within our administration to work with local officials to take care of whatever issues there are,” she told State House News Service Tuesday. “We were notified by Vineyard Wind what happened and they continue to keep us apprised on their progress.”
Brad Campbell, president of the Conservation Law Foundation, said he is glad Vineyard Wind will be held accountable for the incident, but maintained that wind farms are the future of clean energy.
The foundation, a New England-based environmental advocacy group, has staunchly supported Vineyard Wind and other offshore wind initiatives for the last six years.
“It’s important for the public to understand that wind farms have been safely constructed around the world with none of the marine disasters – explosions, catastrophic oil spills – and sacrifice of human safety associated with the fossil fuels they are replacing,” Campbell said.
Information from the State House News Service was used in this story.