Lightning strike damages already faulty blade at Vineyard Wind offshore turbine
EIR-1112On 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.
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.
- Components with known manufacturing defects or prior damage should be subject to enhanced monitoring for compounding risks such as weather events.
- Rapid deployment of aerial and maritime surveillance after an incident helps confirm whether debris or hazards exist, supporting timely public and regulatory reassurance.
- Coordination with maritime authorities such as coast guards is important when offshore turbine damage could pose navigational hazards.
Published 2026-09-20. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.