September 11, 2024 — Nearly a year after Vineyard Wind installed its first turbine off Nantucket, the lights atop the 800-foot towers – which the company promised would remain dark unless an aircraft was passing by – continue to blink incessantly on the horizon.
While the project remains suspended by the federal government following the July 13 blade failure that remains under investigation, Vineyard Wind has been allowed to resume some construction activities, and the lights atop the 24 turbines that have been installed to date have been an eyesore for many who enjoy Nantucket’s dark skies at night.
As part of Vineyard Wind’s mitigation agreement with the town of Nantucket – a document better known as the Good Neighbor Agreement that was signed back in 2020 – the company is required to install a so-called Aircraft Detection Lighting System or ADLS. This system will utilize radar to ensure the lights at the top of each turbine activate only when there is an aircraft close to the wind farm area.
Vineyard Wind initially pledged to have the system operational by Memorial Day weekend. After that deadline came and went, the company pledged in June that the ADLS would be up and running “within the next several weeks.” Now, nearly three months after that statement, there is still no definitive timeline for when the system will be active.