Vineyard Wind Installs Lighting System Before Town Deadline, But Questions Remain

For years, Vineyard Wind has promised that the red lights atop its wind turbines, which blink through the night off Nantucket’s south shore, would be turned off unless an aircraft was detected in nearby airspace. Now, mere days after the Town of Nantucket made 15 demands of the offshore wind company and hinted at the possibility of future litigation in a scathing press conference Tuesday, Vineyard Wind claims it has finally integrated the Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS) that would make this promise a reality.

“Recognizing that this lighting system is a critical priority for our neighboring island communities, Vineyard Wind has worked hard for the past year to accelerate the deployment and implementation of ADLS across the project as quickly as possible,” Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Møller said in a statement. “This is a complex technology requiring extensive work and coordination between various contractors and construction teams, and I would like to thank them for their efforts in activating this system as commissioning continues. As the project advances, the system will be integrated into additional turbines.”

When functional, the ADLS should allow the lights, which are required by the FAA for safety reasons, to remain off when there are no nearby aircraft detected. But lengthy delays have meant that the system, which was supposed to be fully operational when Vineyard Wind started producing power, has not had the intended impact on light pollution in Nantucket’s night skies.

Vineyard Wind did not refer to the Town’s demands in the press release announcing the integration of the ADLS. One of the demands asked for $25,000 per turbine for each day that the system remained inactive.

It remains unclear how long it will take new turbines to have an active ADLS when they are installed, and Vineyard Wind clarified in its statement that the lights may be turned on due to “a number of factors” while construction continues.

“Subject to verification from the Town that the turbines are not just hooked up to the system, but that the system is working properly and reliably, the Town welcomes this announcement,” the Town said in a statement. “The Town urges Vineyard Wind to focus its continued attention on significantly reducing the lag time between when lights get turned on and when ADLS reduces their impact on the night sky. Further, the Town renews its call for Vineyard Wind to provide regular public updates on ADLS deployment as new turbines are constructed.”

Vineyard Wind claims that the system was already functional on more than 60% of installed turbines as of July, and the remainder were integrated throughout the month.

The offshore wind company has yet to reply to the Town’s other demands, which came with a two-week deadline that expires on August 12th. If they don’t reply, or if the Town finds their response lacking, Town officials have left all of their options open—including litigation.

The Select Board will meet in executive session this Thursday “To Discuss Strategy with Respect to Threatened Litigation by the Town Against Vineyard Wind.”

“The Town looks forward to Vineyard Wind’s timely response to the Town’s other demands related to improved communication from Vineyard Wind and integration of Nantucket and the public into emergency planning,” the Town’s statement continues.

Vineyard Wind did put out a statement in the immediate aftermath of the Town’s press conference, but instead of focusing on the Town’s demands, it seemed to suggest things should go back to the way they were before one of Vineyard Wind’s turbine blades collapsed into the water and littered Nantucket’s beaches with toxic debris.

“Earlier this month, Vineyard Wind, GE Vernova, and the Town of Nantucket agreed to a settlement that resolved all claims and any harms related to the 2024 blade incident,” Vineyard Wind's statement reads. “As it has always done, Vineyard Wind will continue to meet all state and federal permit requirements, and coordinate with the Town consistent with the Good Neighbor Agreement. Following the conclusion of the settlement process, Vineyard Wind has anticipated resuming traditional communications and coordination with the Town in a manner that supports a productive dialogue. Vineyard Wind believes the settlement represents a fair and conclusive outcome for all parties, and hopes the Town of Nantucket will move forward in the spirit of that settlement and work together towards a constructive, positive relationship.”

Vineyard Wind was not a signatory of the $10.5 million settlement between GE Vernova and the Town of Nantucket referenced in the statement, a fact the Town has emphasized repeatedly.

“The Town of Nantucket commends GE Vernova for its leadership in reaching this agreement. By contrast, the Town has found Vineyard Wind wanting in terms of its leadership, accountability, transparency, and stewardship in the aftermath of the blade failure and determined that it would not accept Vineyard Wind as a signatory to the settlement,” the town said at the time.