A Massachusetts judge on Friday temporarily blocked a turbine manufacturer from pulling out of a major offshore wind farm project, saying it would be 鈥渇anciful鈥� to imagine a new contractor could finish the installation.
Vineyard Wind went to court last week after GE Renewables said it would be terminating its contracts for turbine services and maintenance. GE Vernova, the parent company for GE Renewables, argued that Vineyard Wind owes it $300 million for work it performed, but Vineyard Wind countered that the manufacturer remains on the hook for about $545 million to make up for a catastrophic turbine in July 2024 that set the project back by two years.
Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Peter Krupp on Friday granted Vineyard Wind’s request for a preliminary injunction blocking the termination notice. He agreed with Vineyard Wind that the manufacturer owes far more money than what the developer has withheld to offset the cost of the blade collapse, which resulted in washing onto Nantucket beaches during the peak of tourist season.
鈥淭he project is at a critical phase and the loss of (Vineyard Wind)’s principal contractor would set the project back immeasurably,鈥� the judge wrote. 鈥淭o pretend that (Vineyard Wind) could go out and hire one or more contractors to finish the installation and troubleshoot and modify (GE Renewables’) proprietary design without (GE Renewables’) specialized knowledge is fanciful.鈥�
鈥淲e are pleased with the decision, which ensures Vineyard Wind can continue delivering much needed energy to Massachusetts customers and the New England grid,鈥� said Vineyard Wind spokesperson Craig Gilvarg.
In court filings, GE Renewables argued that it was acting within its right to terminate the contracts, that its services are no longer required and that any harm suffered by Vineyard Wind was self-inflicted.
鈥淲e stand by our compliance with contractual obligations and our performance, including recently completing installation of all 62 wind turbines at the Vineyard Wind Farm,鈥� the company said in a statement Friday. 鈥淲e remain engaged in supporting the safe operation of the project while we evaluate next steps.鈥�
Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, located 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Martha鈥檚 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.
, making it the first project to reach this stage during President Donald Trump鈥檚 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.
The Trump administration because of the blade failure, which GE Vernova blamed on rather than a design flaw.
It was one of five major East Coast offshore wind projects the Trump administration , citing national security concerns. , and federal judges allowed , essentially concluding that the government did not show that the national security risk was so imminent that construction must halt.
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