Block Island Turbine Out of Action Until Second Half of February

One of the General Elecetric’s (GE) Haliade turbines installed at America’s first offshore wind farm will be out of action at least until the second half of February, according to a statement issued by Block Island Wind Farm’s Fisheries Liaison, Elizabeth Ann Marchetti.

The wind farm’s turbine number two did not go online together with the remaining four 6MW turbines on 12 December, due to a displaced drill bit.

The drill bit was left in the air gap of the turbine’s generator during manufacturing in GE factory in France, according to a statement issued by Marchetti.

As a consequence, the turbine reportedly suffered scratches on 26 of its magnets.

The drill bit has subsequently been removed from the air gap. The generator is in working condition but the damaged magnets now need to be replaced, Marchetti said.

GE will deploy the lift boat Lacie Eymard to provide accommodation for the technicians that will be working on the repairs.

The technicians are expected to start working on the site in early January, weather dependent, and the magnet replacement is scheduled to be completed within 45 days.