The federal government has lifted its suspension on the Vineyard Wind project. This comes six months after a turbine blade failure at the offshore wind farm near Massachusetts scattered debris across surrounding beaches and waters.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is still investigating the incident. However, they decided to lift the suspension, albeit with some conditions. A spokesperson for the agency has confirmed that Vineyard Wind will need to remove all turbine blades manufactured at a GE Vernova facility in Canada.
Point phone camera here
That factory was identified as the source of a defect that caused the failure in July 2024. A subsequent probe into the turbine manufacturers’ practices at this location revealed claims of using falsified data to allow substandard blades to pass quality inspections.
BSEE mandated the removal of blades from up to 22 of Vineyard Wind’s planned 62 turbines. They also prohibited using blades manufactured at the aforementioned GE Vernova Canadian facility in future installations. Additionally, the project’s developers must complete an environmental study to assess the damage caused by the incident.
The agency also imposed strict requirements for future turbine operations. These include verifying blade design criteria, ensuring turbines are fit for service and implementing monitoring systems capable of detecting and responding to blade damage.
Meanwhile, Vineyard Wind, in partnership with GE Vernova, has removed debris from the seafloor and conducted inspections of installed blades. They shipped some to a facility in France for further evaluation. In a statement, Vineyard Wind described its plan to resume operations as “rigorous.” They also emphasized its commitment to safety as a priority.
Tags: Canada, Massachusetts, Offshore wind farms, Renewable energy, United States, Vineyard Wind, Wind energy, Wind farms
[Jack Aylmer]
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LIFTED ITS SUSPENSION ORDER ON THE VINEYARD WIND PROJECT-
SIX MONTHS AFTER A BLADE FAILURE AT THE OFFSHORE WIND FARM NEAR MASSACHUSETTS SCATTERED DEBRIS ACROSS SURROUNDING BEACHES AND WATERS.
THIS COMES DESPITE THE BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT’S ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT.
A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE AGENCY CONFIRMED THAT VINEYARD WIND WILL BE REQUIRED TO REMOVE ALL TURBINE BLADES MANUFACTURED AT A GE VERNOVA FACILITY IN CANADA.
THAT FACTORY WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE SOURCE OF A DEFECT WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE IN JULY-
AND A SUBSEQUENT PROBE INTO THE TURBINE MANUFACTURERS PRACTICES AT THIS LOCATION UNCOVERED CLAIMS OF FALSIFIED DATA BEING USED, ALLOWING SUBSTANDARD BLADES TO PASS QUALITY INSPECTIONS.
THE BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT HAS MANDATED THAT VINEYARD WIND REMOVE BLADES FROM UP TO 22 OF ITS 62 PLANNED TURBINES.
THE AGENCY PROHIBITED THE USE OF BLADES FROM GE VERNOVA’S AFOREMENTIONED CANADIAN FACILITY IN FUTURE INSTALLATIONS-
AND STATED THAT THE PROJECT WILL STILL NEED TO COMPLETE AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY TO ASSESS HARM CAUSED BY THE INCIDENT.
STRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR FUTURE TURBINE OPERATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN IMPOSED-
INCLUDING VERIFICATION OF BLADE DESIGN CRITERIA, OPERATIONAL FITNESS, AND FUNCTIONING MONITORING SYSTEMS TO DETECT AND RESPOND TO BLADE DAMAGE.
VINEYARD WIND, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GE VERNOVA, HAS BEEN REMOVING DEBRIS FROM THE SEAFLOOR AND CONDUCTING INSPECTIONS OF INSTALLED BLADES-
WITH SOME HAVING BEEN SHIPPED TO A FACILITY IN FRANCE FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.
IN A STATEMENT, VINEYARD WIND DESCRIBED ITS PLAN TO RESUME OPERATIONS AS “RIGOROUS” AND PLEDGED TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY MOVING FORWARD.
TO CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR PREVIOUS REPORTING ON THE VINEYARD WIND BLADE FAILURE, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP NOW.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.
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