US offshore wind farm shut down after debris fouls Nantucket beaches

Twisting by the pool.One of the first major US offshore wind farms near Massachusetts has been shut down while US authorities investigate a major turbine failure that caused debris to wash up on local beaches.The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) on Tuesday said it was working with a local power producer, Vineyard Wind, to determine the cause of an incident which left potentially dangerous debris on beaches on the island of Nantucket.On Saturday, one of 21 of turbines broke causing “significant” amounts of sharp debris to wash ashore and pose hazards to swimmers. The project is expected to eventually see 62 turbines capable of powering 400,000 homes.In the summer months, the island’s population swells to more than 80,000 people from its usual 14,000 base.There were no injuries reported, “but operations are shut down until further notice," a BSEE spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters. "In some areas, significant sharp debris has been observed floating in the water and is often hidden beneath the surface. Small fragments along the shoreline can pose a considerable hazard to swimmers and beachgoers."