Lightning may have struck already-damaged Vineyard Wind turbine blade
Cape Cod Times|Heather McCarron|Mar 3, 2025
A lightning strike on the same Vineyard Wind turbine that suffered a catastrophic blade failure last summer has once again thrown the spotlight on the offshore wind farm. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, lightning struck the turbine known as AW-38 on Feb. 27. An advisory issued by the First District Command Center on Feb. 28, which has been posted on social media, indicated that the turbine "caught fire, and detached."
A lightning strike on the same Vineyard Wind turbine that suffered a catastrophic blade failure last summer has once again thrown the spotlight on the offshore wind farm. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, lightning struck the turbine known as AW-38 on Feb. 27. An advisory issued by the First District Command Center on Feb. 28, which has been posted on social media, indicated that the turbine "caught fire, and detached."
A lightning strike on the same Vineyard Wind turbine that suffered a catastrophic blade failure last summer has once again thrown the spotlight on the offshore wind farm.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, lightning struck the turbine known as AW-38 on Feb. 27. An advisory issued by the First District Command Center on Feb. 28, which has been posted on social media, indicated that the turbine "caught fire, and detached," but that a fishing boat that was nearby reported "no sign of debris." Nevertheless, a Safety Marine Information Broadcast "for hazard to navigation" was issued as a precaution.
In a statement released Monday morning, the Coast Guard noted it has "no active involvement in response efforts" at this time, but that it remains …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]A lightning strike on the same Vineyard Wind turbine that suffered a catastrophic blade failure last summer has once again thrown the spotlight on the offshore wind farm.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, lightning struck the turbine known as AW-38 on Feb. 27. An advisory issued by the First District Command Center on Feb. 28, which has been posted on social media, indicated that the turbine "caught fire, and detached," but that a fishing boat that was nearby reported "no sign of debris." Nevertheless, a Safety Marine Information Broadcast "for hazard to navigation" was issued as a precaution.
In a statement released Monday morning, the Coast Guard noted it has "no active involvement in response efforts" at this time, but that it remains in contact with Vineyard Wind." As of Sunday afternoon, the Coast Guard reported "there are no reported navigational hazards or Coast Guard enforcement actions related to the incident."
Vineyard Wind: 'Action plan has been put into place'
According to a Vineyard Wind statement, "as part of a continuous effort to manage the damaged GE Vernova blade on turbine AW-38, a rigorous action plan has been put into place which includes debris recovery resources, recurrent flyovers to observe the turbine, and ultimately GE Vernova’s planned removal and replacement of the blade in May 2025."
The statement refers to the damage that occurred when the blade collapsed in July 2024, sending fiberglass and balsawood debris into the ocean and washing ashore around the region.
The company noted that, "based on a visual inspection of the damaged blade, preliminary evidence indicates that the blade may have been impacted by a lightning strike," though Vineyard Wind is continuing "to assess in coordination with GE Vernova."
GE Vernova is the manufacturer and installer of the Vineyard Wind turbines.
According to the statement, "this was contained to the damaged blade, and based on current information there is no impact to the nacelle or turbine structure."
"Vineyard Wind deployed both aerial and maritime resources and based on current observations, there is no indication of debris from this event," according to the statement.
Criticism, particularly from fishermen and stakeholders
Jerry Leeman, CEO of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association, criticized the company’s lack of transparency, drawing comparisons to the delayed acknowledgment of the July incident.
“The coverup blows on. Vineyard Wind’s lack of transparency around the structural integrity of its mammoth wind turbines is deeply frustrating to fishermen," Leeman said in a statement on Monday.
He noted that "reports indicate that the lightning strike occurred on Feb. 27, yet Vineyard Wind said nothing about the incident for at least four days. This after Vineyard Wind waited a day and a half before acknowledging last summer’s devastating blade detachment."
"In fact, Vineyard Wind officials met in February with officials from the Bureau of Safety and Environment Enforcement to discuss improving communications over safety issues. Foreign offshore wind developers seem breezily dismissive of commercial fishermen," Leeman said.
Susanne Conley, chairwoman of the Save Greater Dowses Beach citizens organization in Barnstable, also expressed concern Monday.
"Damage by lightning strikes on ocean wind turbines, even with lightning protection, is inevitable," she said. "This time, the strike seems to have hit the stub of a ruined blade. Should this happen to an intact blade, the environmental damage would be as bad or worse than what we experienced in July. This entire enterprise should be abandoned and all this junk removed from the ocean. This is not the way."
"The town continues to demand that Vineyard Wind be accountable, transparent, and timely as details emerge in the aftermath of the incident, providing prompt and crucial information to municipal leaders," a statement from the town of Nantucket read, adding that the town is "closely monitoring" any potential effects from the lightning strike.
The federal enforcement bureau did not immediately respond Monday to an inquiry about the incident and whether the agency has called for any action.b vvvvv