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Wind (offshore)United StatesEIR-1112

Lightning strike damages already faulty blade at Vineyard Wind offshore turbine

Feb 2025Published 20 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorMechanical800 MW
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
turbine out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hiddenThe maker is named in 15 other entries (being named is not a finding of fault)
Where
Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm off Massachusetts
Operator
Vineyard Wind
Manufacturer
GE Vernova
What
Lightning strike on already damaged blade of turbine AW-38
Injuries
No injuries occurred

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): GE Vernova, Vineyard Wind

What happened

On 27 February 2025, a GE Vernova Haliade-X 13 MW turbine (AW-38) at the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm off Massachusetts was struck by lightning. The turbine had previously suffered a blade failure in July 2024, when a blade detached and debris washed up on Nantucket Island beaches. Vineyard Wind said a preliminary investigation indicated the already damaged blade may have been impacted by the lightning strike. The developer stated the event was contained to the blade, with no apparent impact to the nacelle or turbine structure, and no debris was observed following aerial and maritime surveys.

The US Coast Guard reported the strike and worked with Vineyard Wind to confirm the area remained free of navigational hazards. GE Vernova said no injuries occurred. GE Vernova had already planned to remove and replace the damaged blade in May 2025 as part of an ongoing action plan following the 2024 failure.

Contributing factors

The affected blade was already damaged following the July 2024 failure, which the manufacturer attributed to a manufacturing deviation. The source does not state whether the prior damage influenced the outcome of the lightning strike, and the assessment was still under way at the time of reporting.

Lessons learned

  1. An offshore blade with prior damage needs closer monitoring before storms, as lightning can worsen existing faults.
  2. Aerial and maritime surveys after a blade strike confirm the absence of debris and navigational hazards.
  3. Early coordination with coast guard authorities keeps sea lanes clear after offshore turbine damage.

More lessons on weather and external hazards, structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Exact cause of the lightning impact
  • Cost of blade replacement
  • Duration of turbine downtime

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

offshoreWIND.biz (offshorewind.biz)

Site page: Vineyard Wind 1 (status, dates and other incidents)

Other entries that name Vineyard

Published 2026-09-20. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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