Vineyard Wind Needs To Take Down Defective Turbine Blades ASAP

To the editor: We were recently informed all the 66 blades that Vineyard Wind installed were defective. The press has reported that the blade defects were covered up at the factory. In addition, we were previously advised by Vineyard Wind that blade defects were in the low single digits. I ask the Town of Nantucket and others to press Vineyard Wind, BSEE, and BOEM for the details and the exact timeline relating to the faulty blades.

Because 60 or so of the 66 defective blades remain, there is a high risk of another blade collapse with more pollution and debris in our waters and on our beaches. Taking down flawed blades ASAP makes the most sense. Unfortunately, I read Vineyard Wind plans to uninstall and install blades one turbine at a time over many months while continuing other operations which will slow the removal of the defective blades. Continuing other operations may also prolong the risk to dolphins and whales which have been dying at an unprecedented rate in the last year.

I ask the Town of Nantucket and others to strongly appeal to BOEM, BSEE, Chris Wright, the nominee at the Department of Energy, and Doug Burgum, the Secretary of the Interior, that all operations at Vineyard Wind, except removing their faulty blades, should be stopped, pending a full review by all those agencies.

George Ellis
New Mill Street