August 12, 2024 — Vineyard Wind issued an action plan on Friday with details about the steps it will take to remove the remaining damaged blade, as post-tropical storm Debby makes its way to Massachusetts.
This involves removing fallen debris from the tower platform, rotating the turbine to shake loose any further debris, potentially cutting off a dangling portion of the blade, removing debris from the ocean floor, and ultimately detaching the blade “root” from the nacelle (the turbine’s generator).
A Vineyard Wind spokesperson said there was no specific order in the multi-step plan for removal, but did not state whether any of the steps were undertaken on Thursday or Friday.
Vineyard Wind’s plan also calls for resuming turbine installation (without the blades) before the inspection of all blades is complete. The company, however, cannot resume such activity until the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) lifts or amends its suspension order to allow for certain component installation to resume.