NEW BEDFORD, MA – July 20, 2024 – Efforts to recover debris on Nantucket continue to progress following the unexpected damage of GE Vernova’s blade on July 13, 2024, which occurred while GE was commissioning the turbine and prior to transfer of control and responsibility of the wind turbine to Vineyard Wind. Vineyard Wind is enormously grateful to the Nantucket Police Department, the Nantucket Land Bank, the Nantucket Harbormaster, and other town officials. Their deep familiarity with the coastline has been a helpful addition to Vineyard Wind’s crew of employees and contractors.
“Many of our team members have been out in the Nantucket community for the last several days, either collecting debris or connecting with affected residents. We are still working to clean the beaches and remain committed to working with the community to address this situation,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller. “We will provide timely and useful information on recovery efforts. As we continue to make progress, we are grateful to town officials for coordinating resources and for their ongoing support as work to fully clean-up Nantucket’s beaches.”
Vineyard Wind leadership met with town officials Thursday afternoon to provide updated and accurate information so that the community can remain informed. A follow-up report was delivered to the town at 7:00AM Friday morning, and a regular cadence of updates will follow.
Offshore Update: Early Thursday morning, a large portion of GE’s damaged blade became fully detached, and further debris was dislodged. GE Vernova is responsible for recovery for offshore debris and has hired a salvage company to recover the debris. The blade has been under constant surveillance and Vineyard Wind quickly deployed marine resources to assist GE Vernova in the capture of as much debris as possible before it left the wind development area. Vessels are monitoring, equipped with side scan sonar and subsea monitoring equipment.
Nantucket Update: Additional resources are being mobilized on Nantucket and surrounding coastal communities. It is possible that additional debris will appear on Nantucket Saturday night or Sunday, based on modeling informed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Deployment of Teams: Vineyard Wind will increase its local team to more than 50 employees and contractors dedicated to beach clean-up and debris recovery efforts. Vineyard Wind continues to work with local and emergency response contractors on Nantucket and has crews in other communities on standby. Vineyard Wind has contracted Robert B. Our, a local construction firm, and National Resource Corporation, an emergency response contractor, to lead cleanup operations.
Locations: Crews are working along southern beaches and surveying northern beaches in anticipation of the triathlon. Crews are also on Tuckernuck and other locations.
Debris Monitoring: Vineyard Wind has mobilized a fleet of vessels, including three vessels off the Nantucket shoreline, to monitor for and collect debris before it lands on the island. Vineyard Wind is also conducting aerial surveys in the offshore area to search for additional debris for recovery.
Community Outreach: A team of Vineyard Wind employees is onsite in Nantucket and stands ready to deploy anywhere on the coast to assist with cleanup and liaise with officials and community leaders.
Environmental Protection: Shorebird monitors are actively working with cleanup crews to monitor for state listed and protected avian species. Vineyard Wind’s environmental team will coordinate directly with environmental officials from the Commonwealth and Nantucket.
Safety Precautions: Vineyard Wind advises that only its employees, contractors, or those appointed by town officials should handle and recover debris materials. Members of the public should avoid handling debris as the fiber-glass pieces can be sharp and lead to cuts if handled without proper gloves. Anyone handling debris should wear gloves, and Vineyard Wind is working to bag, track, and transport collected debris off the island and to proper storage as soon as possible.
Reporting: If debris is found by members of the public, property owners, or town officials, they are advised to immediately contact our reporting hotline:
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