GE Vernova to remove some Vineyard Wind blades after quality checks (updated)

Avangrid

23/10/2024 17:40

(Adds details from press release, background)
       Oct 23 (Reuters) - GE Vernova  GEV.N  will remove some
turbine blades installed at the Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm
off the coast of Massachusetts following quality checks prompted
by the failure of a blade in July, the company said on
Wednesday.
    The company has been barred from producing power or resuming
full construction at Vineyard Wind, the first major U.S.
offshore wind development, since a turbine blade broke and sent
debris into the water that washed up on nearby beaches. 
        The turbine maker 
    blamed a manufacturing flaw
     for the break, and has spent months inspecting blades with
ultrasound images and drones.
  
        "Out of an abundance of caution, GE Vernova intends to
remove some blades from the Vineyard Wind farm while
strengthening other blades as needed to support the safety and
operational readiness of this project," GE Vernova and Vineyard
Wind said in a joint statement.
  
    The companies also said they were granted approval this week
to resume installation of new blades at the project once certain
safety and operational conditions are met. They did not give a
timeline for when they expect those conditions to be met.
        Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid
 AGR.N  and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. Avangrid is a
unit of Spain's Iberdrola  IBE.MC .
  

 (Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Richard Chang)
 ((nichola.groom@thomsonreuters.com))