Developer of Massachusetts offshore wind farm sues to stop turbine
manufacturer from walking away
[April 11, 2026] By
HOLLY RAMER and JENNIFER McDERMOTT
The developer of a major Massachusetts offshore wind farm is suing its
turbine manufacturer seeking to force it to stay with the project.
Vineyard Wind filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Massachusetts against GE
Renewables. That comes after the parent company for GE Renewables said
it would be terminating its contracts for turbine services and
maintenance at the end of April.
GE Vernova says Vineyard Wind owes it $300 million for work it
performed. But Vineyard Wind counters that the manufacturer remains on
the hook for about $545 million to make up for a catastrophic turbine
blade collapse in July 2024 and the delays that caused.
Fiberglass fragments of a blade broke apart and began washing onto
Nantucket beaches in July 2024 during the peak of tourist season. GE
Vernova agreed to pay $10.5 million in a settlement to compensate island
businesses that suffered losses.
The lawsuit states that the project already has been significantly
damaged by GE Renewable's “inexcusably poor performance,” and allowing
the contractor to back out now would case irreparable harm. Craig
Gilvarg, spokesman for Vineyard Wind, said Friday that the lawsuit is
meant to ensure that GE Renewables fulfills its obligations to the
project “and to the people of Massachusetts and New England who are
relying on the significant power and economic benefits this project is
already providing.” He said Vineyard Wind is expected to provide $3.7
billion in savings to electric customers over the life of the project.
GE Vernova said the company is exercising its right to terminate
agreements for nonpayment for work performed.
“The company remains committed to the safety of the wind farm and stands
by our performance and our contractual obligations," the company said in
a statement. "We will vigorously defend our position through the
appropriate legal process.”
Construction finished on Vineyard Wind in March, making it the first
project to reach this stage during President Donald Trump’s time in
office. It had already been providing power to the grid for over a year
as more turbines were finished. It is expected to reach full operations
in the coming months.
[to top of second column] |
Wind turbines operate at Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm off the
coast of Massachusetts, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster,
File)
 According to the lawsuit, GE
Renewables is the only company able to perform the remaining work,
and it would be virtually impossible to find another turbine
supplier willing to take its place. A hearing is scheduled for
Thursday.
GE Vernova has said that insufficient bonding at one of its
factories in Canada was responsible for the blade coming apart and
that there was no indication of a design flaw. Sixty-eight out of
the 72 blades that had been installed at Vineyard Wind at the time
were removed and replaced. Vineyard Wind said that set the project
behind nearly two years.
The Trump administration has been particularly critical of the
project because of the blade failure.
It was one of five major East Coast offshore wind projects the Trump
administration halted construction on days before Christmas, citing
national security concerns. Developers and states sued, and federal
judges allowed all five to resume construction, essentially
concluding that the government did not show that the national
security risk was so imminent that construction must halt.
Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen
Infrastructure Partners, located 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts. It has 62 turbines
that will generate a total of 800 megawatts. That is enough clean
electricity to power about 400,000 homes.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
