Damaged Vineyard Wind turbine cleanup efforts continue on Nantucket

Clean-up crews will once again scour the beaches of Nantucket on Friday, working to remove the debris from a damaged Vineyard Winds turbine.

Over 50 contractors hired by Vineyard Winds will lead clean-up efforts on the south shore beaches, including Jetties Beach and some north-side areas ahead of Saturday’s triathlon.

Friday morning, crews collected debris from Nobadeer. Boats were also used to clean up harder-to-reach areas like Tuckernuck.

Nantucket officials say a large piece of the blade has sunk to the ocean floor. The US Coast Guard says they saw a piece of debris about 300 feet long – as big as a football field.

Nantucket bracing for more beach debris after remaining chunk of turbine blade crashes into ocean

A Vineyard Wind turbine, nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower , experienced blade damage on Saturday night, according to developers of the offshore project. Large chunks of the blade subsequently washed up on the island’s south-facing beaches, prompting closures to swimmers .

Crews on Wednesday removed about 17 cubic yards of debris, enough to fill more than six truckloads , as well as several larger pieces that washed ashore.

The debris in question consists of non-toxic fiberglass fragments ranging in size from small pieces to larger sections, typically green or white in color, Vineyard Wind noted.

It’s still not clear what caused the blade damage. General Electric is leading an investigation into the incident.

In addition to the cleanup efforts, Vineyard Winds is planning to test the water quality around the island. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is also monitoring the situation and Vineyard Winds’ plans.

Nantucket officials say residents and visitors should not put any debris in their home garbage or bring to a landfill. If any debris is found, please call 833-609-5768 or click this link to report it.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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