Nantucket Reaches $10.5M Wind Turbine Settlement

Nantucket has reached a $10.5 million settlement with GE Verona, the manufacturer of the Haliade-X wind turbine blade that failed in July of last year, creating a mess on the island's beaches and elsewhere.

How the Blade Collapse Happened

The Nantucket Current reported that "The 300-foot-long blade collapsed 15 miles southwest of the island, littering Nantucket beaches with debris and scattering fiberglass and foam around the region."

"Under the agreement, Nantucket will establish a 'Community Claims Fund' to provide compensation for economic harm caused by the blade failure," the paper reported.

According to the Current, "Nantucket will engage an independent third-party administrator to evaluate claims from local businesses and issue payments."

Debris Reaches Nantucket Shores

Nantucket Magazine reported, "On July 13, the company learned one of its blades had collapsed into the Atlantic. It notified the town two days later, just as pieces of the blade began washing up on shore."

The Vineyard Gazette recalled the Coast Guard receiving a call stating, "about 20 miles off the Vineyard's southern shore, large pieces of debris were scattered in the water near the Vineyard Wind wind farm."

"Green and white bits of fiberglass and foam, some the size of kitchen tables, were floating in the water, and eventually, with the help of wind and tides, would make their way onto Nantucket beaches," said the Gazette.

Thousands of pieces of fiberglass were scattered into the ocean when the southernmost turbine snapped unexpectedly.

The Current stated, "Notably, Vineyard Wind is not a signatory to the settlement agreement."

Is the Future of Offshore Wind at Risk?

New Trump administration energy policies that more heavily favor fossil fuels and growing concerns about marine life have put the future of offshore wind farms in question.