March 3, 2025
The Vineyard Wind turbine that fell apart in July 2024 was struck by lightning last week, prompting a Coast Guard response and a scramble to assess damage and fallout.
There are conflicting reports as to the scale of the damage and possible debris in the water. Vineyard Wind was again slow in acknowledging the incident. NEFSA CEO Jerry Leeman issued the following statement.
“The coverup blows on. Vineyard Wind’s lack of transparency around the structural integrity of its mammoth wind turbines is deeply frustrating to fishermen. Reports indicate that the lightning strike occurred on Feb. 27, yet Vineyard Wind said nothing about the incident for at least four days. This after Vineyard Wind waited a day and a half before acknowledging last summer’s devastating blade detachment. In fact, Vineyard Wind officials met in February with officials from the Bureau of Safety and Environment Enforcement to discuss improving communications over safety issues. Foreign offshore wind developers seem breezily dismissive of commercial fishermen.”