GE Vernova to pay $10.5M to Nantucket for turbine blade mishap

Wind turbine maker GE Vernova is paying Nantucket, Massachusetts, $10.5 million after a wind turbine blade from the Vineyard Wind 1 project snapped off and scattered debris across the island during peak tourist season last summer.

On July 13, 2024, one of the massive blades on a Haliade-X turbine made by GE Vernova broke apart, scattering foam, fiberglass, and balsa wood over parts of Nantucket. It triggered a major cleanup effort and, according to the town, disrupted business during one of the busiest times of the year.

Now, Nantucket says it’ll set up a community claims fund to help compensate local businesses that were affected. An independent administrator will be brought in to evaluate the claims and handle payments.

The town said in a press release that it “commends GE Vernova for its leadership in reaching this agreement.”

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GE Vernova launched an investigation and blamed the blade failure on a manufacturing issue at its Quebec factory. The company responded by pulling other blades from the same factory and firing workers involved.

A GE Vernova spokesperson told the New Bedford Light in an email, “We are pleased to have reached a final settlement agreement with the Town of Nantucket to provide compensation for any impacted local businesses.”

The 800-megawatt (MW) Vineyard Wind 1 is 15 miles off the Massachusetts coast and comprises 62 wind turbines capable of powering over 400,000 homes. It’s expected to save customers approximately $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation.

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