A turbine in the Vineyard Wind array had an apparent blade failure July 13, leaving debris in the water, washing up on Nantucket beaches, and developers and turbine experts investigating the damage.
Joint venture developers Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners said Tuesday they had two recovery teams on Nantucket to survey southern-facing beaches of the island for the recovery of debris. Nantucket harbormaster Sheila Lucey said several beaches were closed.
”You can walk on the beaches, however we strongly recommend you wear footwear due to sharp, fiberglass shards and debris on the beaches,” according to a mid-day social media post from the habormaster's office July 16.
The stricken turbine was undergoing testing and one blade fractured about 65 feet from the hub; there large pieces were recovered near the site 26 miles offshore, according to Vineyard Wind officials.
On the Nantucket beaches, “the debris consists of non-toxic fiberglass fragments ranging in size from small pieces to larger sections, typically green or white in color,” the developers said. “Any potential debris washing ashore will be pieces 1 square foot or less, which should only be picked up and collected by patrol teams.”
Vineyard Wind and the Coast Guard maintained safety zone of 500 meters around the turbine, where investigators with the developers and turbine manufacturer GE Vernova are investigating the failure. Surveys continued offshore for floating debris, with aerial overflights and vessel patrols and daily foot patrols on the island beaches.
Vineyard Wind’s plan is to install 62 turbines this year with a maximum potential power rating of 806 megawatts. The second utility-scale offshore wind project to come online in U.S. federal waters was on track to install its 22nd turbine generator around July 1. The federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement ordered operations shut down while the investigation is underway.
Offshore wind project opponents were swift to publicize the accident.
“NOAA should halt these projects. This is incredibly unsafe. The blades are hundreds of feet long. Dangerous!” the Nantucket-based group ACK4whales posted on social media.
