The Vineyard Wind Offshore Wind Farm Resumes Blade Installation

The Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm, a joint project by Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, has resumed blade installation after a five-month hiatus. The project, in collaboration with GE Vernova, received approval from federal regulators to proceed with blade installation on a “case-by-case” basis. Local officials on Nantucket were informed of the plans to resume operations.

A spokesperson for the wind farm developer confirmed that initial permission was obtained from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, responsible for overseeing offshore wind farm construction and operation. Previously, only cabling work was permitted, but in late October, clearance was granted to resume installing additional monopile foundations using the DEME vessel Orion.

Following intensive inspections and verification by an independent certified agent, clearance was granted for the installation of three blades. Each turbine features three 351-foot-long blades. Stringent safety and operational conditions were mandated by BSEE before work could recommence at the wind farm site, located 14 miles south of the Vineyard.

Notification to Nantucket officials was issued on December 13, with offshore work beginning the next day for the installation of three blades. The project had been halted in July after a blade fractured, causing parts to land on the tower and in the ocean.

GE Vernova attributed the blade failure to a manufacturing bonding issue that should have been caught during quality control. A comprehensive survey and review of all blade quality surveys were initiated to address the problem.

Prior to the incident, Vineyard Wind had already established itself as the largest operating offshore wind farm in the United States. By early July, 10 turbines were operational, delivering 136 MW of energy to the Massachusetts grid. Out of the planned 62-turbine project, 21 turbines were in place or undergoing commissioning, with 47 foundations and transition pieces already installed.

Future blade installations will proceed cautiously, with each blade undergoing rigorous verification before installation. The company declined to provide construction updates to the media but remains committed to the safe and efficient completion of the wind farm.