Attention beachgoers: Nantucket warns more turbine debris could be headed ashore

NANTUCKET, Mass. — Are you heading to Nantucket? You’ll want to exercise caution in the water, and we’re not talking about sharks.

Town officials have warned beachgoers that more pieces of the broken Vineyard Wind turbine are washing up.

The company that manufactures and services the turbines, GE Vernova, informed town leaders recently that several sections of the fiberglass turbine blade broke off from the hub. The company says while this was not unexpected, it has been several days since any debris was observed after the first chunk broke off nearly two weeks ago.

The United States Coastguard continues to enforce a 500-meter safety exclusion zone around the turbine.

GE Vernova and Vineyard Wind have been working with the Coastguard to track ocean currents and wind patterns, and also have crews working to collect as much debris as possible.

Officials are reminding boaters and beachgoers:

• Don’t handle any debris you might come across
• Don’t try to put it in your own trash
• Don’t bring it to a landfill
• If you come across it, notify the US Coastguard or town officials so they can get rid of it properly

Parts of the blade, which is more than 109 yards long, began to fall into the ocean on July 13. Crews have already removed about 17 cubic yards of debris, enough to fill more than six truckloads.

The maker of a massive wind turbine blade says a manufacturing problem was responsible.

The federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said that operations at Vineyard Wind have been suspended until it can be determined whether the “blade failure” impacts other turbine blades on the development.

The town continues to give updates every morning through this website.

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