Wind Turbine Failure in Bourne / Plymouth Area

November 8, 2025

State Representative Steve Xiarhos (R – 5th Barnstable) has issued the following statement:

While I was in Boston yesterday, I was informed of a serious incident involving one of the wind turbines on the town line between Bourne and Plymouth near Head of the Bay Road.

According to Plymouth Fire Chief Neil Foley, a neighbor called in the early afternoon after noticing one of the three blades on the 300 foot turbine was missing. Firefighters found the detached blade, about 75 to 100 feet long, several hundred feet away in a cranberry bog. Thankfully no one was hurt and the turbine shut itself down as designed.

We were fortunate this happened in an open area and not near homes, but it raises real concerns for nearby families and the environment. These turbines sit close to working cranberry bogs and wetlands. If a blade filled with contaminants breaks loose, it can affect water quality, farmland, and wildlife. Offshore, similar failures threaten marine life, fishing, and tourism. Cape Cod’s natural beauty and economy depend on strong environmental protection.

I have filed or co-sponsored several bills addressing these concerns, including safety, local input, emergency planning, siting near neighborhoods, and recycling turbines when they are no longer in use:

  • H.3579 – An Act Providing for a Wind Farm Study
  • H.D.4318 – An Act Establishing an Extended Producer Responsibility Program for Offshore Wind Energy Equipment
  • H.3479 – An Act Relative to the Onshore Siting of Infrastructure Associated with Offshore Wind Projects
  • H.3585 – An Act Establishing a Special Commission to Study the Potential Risks to Cities and Towns from the Onshore Electrical Infrastructure Supporting Offshore Wind Energy Projects

Public safety and environmental protection must always come first. I will be working closely with my colleague State Representative Michelle Badger, who represents the district bordering this area of Bourne and Plymouth, to make sure residents get answers and that this site is cleaned up promptly and safely.

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