July 16, 2024 — A Vineyard Wind turbine blade broke over the weekend, scattering debris into the Atlantic and prompting an investigation by the manufacturer and federal officials.
The offshore wind energy company, which is in the middle of constructing a 62-turbine wind farm about 14 miles south of the Vineyard, said a 107-meter blade broke on Saturday about 20 meters from the root, but was largely still attached to the turbine.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is investigating the incident and said Monday that operations at the wind farm are shut down until further notice.
The malfunction is a setback for the Vineyard Wind, the first approved and currently largest offshore wind energy project in the country.