Truckloads of wind blade debris recovered

BOSTON, Mass. (SHNS)–Fiberglass and foam debris that could fill six trucks has been recovered so far on and around Nantucket as work continues to collect the fragments of a wind blade that was mysteriously damaged on Saturday night.

The offshore wind developer Vineyard Wind said Wednesday that 17 cubic yards of debris has been removed from the island’s southern shoreline along with several larger pieces that washed ashore. The power installation was also completely shut down on Saturday night, the company revealed Wednesday.

“Cleanup efforts will continue Wednesday and throughout the week as necessary until all debris is removed,” the company said. Vineyard Wind will also increase its beach patrols on island to 35 employees and contractors, up from the eight people deployed Tuesday.

The cleanup crews have been coordinating with the Nantucket Police, Nantucket Land Bank, and Nantucket Harbormaster, and Vineyard Wind indicated Wednesday they are observing less material washing ashore and the local police have reopened the beaches to swimming.

“We’re making progress in the debris recovery efforts and mobilizing even more resources on the island to hasten the cleanup as quickly as possible,” Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller said in a statement. “We continue to ask that members of the public avoid handling any of the debris, but report any debris sightings to Vineyard Wind or town officials for recovery. The public can have confidence that we will be here as long as it takes to get the job done and make sure the beaches are cleaned up.”

Operations at the first offshore installation to provide clean power to Massachusetts were “ shut down until further notice ” by the federal government as investigators look into what caused the breakage in one of the project’s massive, 107-meter blades.

On Wednesday morning, a Vineyard Wind spokesman said that project officials “immediately upon identification of the damage to the GE Vernova blade on Saturday evening … implemented a complete stop on power production for Vineyard Wind 1, and the wind farm has ceased power production since that time.”

Ten turbines were operational before the sudden halt, generating 136 megawatts of electricity. Project officials plan to ramp that up to 62 turbines offering a combined 806 megawatts once the project is complete.

Vineyard Wind disclosed the blade breakage publicly on Monday afternoon. On Wednesday, Vineyard Wind also said that the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s work suspension order, which made it into the news on Tuesday, was issued Monday afternoon.

Company officials plan to provide an in-person update at a Nantucket Select Board meeting that begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Vineyard Wind hired construction firm Robert B. Our and emergency response contractor National Resource Corporation to lead cleanup efforts. The company said it also plans to deploy shorebird monitors Wednesday “to conduct visual monitoring for state listed and protected avian species,” who will escort any vehicles working to remove debris near affected bird nests.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.