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NEW BEDFORD — Vineyard Wind issued an action plan on Friday with details about the steps it will take to remove the remaining damaged blade, as post-tropical storm Debby makes its way to Massachusetts.
This involves removing fallen debris from the tower platform, rotating the turbine to shake loose any further debris, potentially cutting off a dangling portion of the blade, removing debris from the ocean floor, and ultimately detaching the blade “root” from the nacelle (the turbine’s generator).
A Vineyard Wind spokesperson said there was no specific order in the multi-step plan for removal, but did not state whether any of the steps were undertaken on Thursday or Friday.
Vineyard Wind’s plan also calls for resuming turbine installation (without the blades) before the inspection of all blades is complete. The company, however, cannot resume such activity until the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) lifts or amends its suspension order to allow for certain component installation to resume.
BSEE did not immediately respond to questions Friday on whether it will be updating its suspension order to allow for tower and nacelle installation.
Vineyard Wind’s new plan was developed in consultation with BSEE, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard, and is “intensively focused on the safety of personnel.”
“As we move forward to this next phase and begin removing the remainder of the damaged blade, we will continue to safeguard the public and the environment through our robust land, air and sea debris recovery system,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus S. Møller in a statement.
Preliminary analysis by GE Vernova determined the blade failure was caused by a “manufacturing deviation,” specifically insufficient bonding that “should have been identified” at the factory in Gaspé, Canada.
Per GE, it has contracted with Gulf Wind Technology, a Louisiana-based engineering firm of wind turbine rotors, for an independent review of the root cause analysis.
Before the 10 previously operating turbines can restart power production, or blades can be installed on the remaining towers, the companies must complete a comprehensive review of existing scans and collect new data from within the blades to ensure there are no additional issues.
This includes reviewing more than 8,000 ultrasound photos and dispatching remote-controlled drones inside all blades for further visual inspection.
“Crawlers are equipped with video cameras that can capture photos and videos for review by technicians to examine critical blade elements. Any anomalies identified will be flagged for further review prior to service,” per GE.
Additionally, GE will use existing sensors in the blades to inspect blade health, with an “algorithm” that will “provide advanced warnings or automatic, safe turbine shutdown when required.”
Møller’s comments highlighted the importance of resuming installation “so we can put this project back on track to deliver needed clean power to the New England region.”
It remains unclear what medium- or long-term impacts, if any, the work suspension may have on the project, which has been halted since July 13.
DEME Group, which is providing the installation vessel, Sea Installer, has not responded to previous inquiries on whether its vessel has nearing commitments for turbine installation for other offshore projects. The vessel, which was sitting at the site for weeks without turbine components to install, is now docked in Salem.
A barge loaded with turbine parts set for the offshore site has been docked for weeks at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, while components have continued to be shipped in from overseas.
The blade removal operation will be conducted with Resolve Marine, which recently responded to the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster in Maryland.
Since the incident on July 13, blade debris has continued to wash up on beaches in Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Westport, and Rhode Island and in response, Vineyard Wind has continued its debris gathering efforts on land and at sea.
Concurrently, BSEE is conducting a separate investigation into the incident. Earlier this week at a Nantucket Select Board meeting, federal officials said they could not provide a timeline on when they expect to complete their inspection of the blades for integrity.
Email Anastasia E. Lennon at alennon@newbedfordlight.org.
Did the Vineyard Wind spokesperson say there is a multi-step containment plan in the event of future turbine blade failures? That’s what the people in the region want to know!!!!
There was for this event.