Turbine Blade Breaks Apart and Washes Ashore from Vineyard Wind

Vineyard Wind, one of the first large offshore wind farms in the United States, is suffering an embarrassing incident after one of the recently installed turbines experienced what the company is calling “blade damage.” While emphasizing it was an isolated incident and that they are working on “swift and safe recovery of all debris,” it nonetheless provided a new opportunity for critics of offshore wind development.

Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, reports the incident happened on Saturday evening, July 13, when one of the blades on the GE Haliade-X turbines malfunctioned. The turbine has been taken offline but debris from the blade has been spotted floating in the ocean and began washing up on Nantucket beaches. 

The largest sections are estimated to be approximately one square foot according to the company although pictures show large pieces floating in the ocean. Smaller fragments and shards are hitting the beaches prompting several of the south-facing beaches on Nantucket to be closed while beach goers are being warned to wear shoes due to the sharp fragments. The company says it is a non-toxic fiberglass material.

So far, they report recovering three large fragments and are continuing monitoring both offshore and along the beaches. Starting today, July 16, the company has dispatched beach patrol teams. Pictures posted online show numerous bags of debris on the beaches. Overflights of the ocean are also being performed.

Unconfirmed media reports are saying the blade that broke was a replacement. The original blade was reported to have been damaged during the installation process with an alternate used in its place. The turbine where the incident occurred is reported to have been undergoing testing before it was commissioned. 

GE as the manufacturer is leading the investigation and will perform an analysis to determine the cause. Vineyard Wind said it will continue to work with local, state, and federal authorities to ensure the safety of the operation.

Vineyard Wind highlights that it has a detailed plan to deal with such an incident and reports it is working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities. A safety perimeter was established around the impacted turbine while Bloomberg is reporting installation work at the site has been suspended. 

Vineyard Wind 1 is located in a federal wind energy area approximately 15 miles south of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and 35 miles from mainland Massachusetts. Blade failure is not common but happens on the turbines. Each turbine is over 800 feet tall with the blades measuring approximately 350 feet in length. A spokesperson for the company told The New York Times that the break occurred approximately 65 feet from the base but that a large portion of the blade remains attached to the turbine.

As of late June, the project reported that 10 turbines had been commissioned and that a total of 21 of the planned 62 turbines were in place and preparing for commissioning. In total, they said 47 of the foundations were installed with their transition pieces.