Blade Mold Damage at GE’s LM Wind Power factory in Cherbourg Halts Production

Cherbourg, France – An operational incident at GE Vernova’s LM Wind Power facility in Cherbourg has caused significant disruption to production, halting the manufacture of blades for the Haliade-X offshore wind turbines and placing half the facility’s employees on partial unemployment.

The company has confirmed that the incident damaged a mold used in the manufacturing process. While no injuries were reported, repairs are expected to take until at least June 23rd.

Compounding this issue, a separate announcement from GE Vernova indicates that LM Wind Power is seeking to downsize its operations. Sources suggest that nearly 1,000 jobs worldwide could be affected as the company contends with inflation, supply chain challenges, and decreased demand in key markets.

Industry analysts suggest that these issues at the Cherbourg facility may have a knock-on effect for the Dogger Bank offshore wind project in the UK. Dogger Bank is a prime customer for the Haliade-X turbine, and a significant number of undelivered blades destined for the project are now reportedly stockpiled in Cherbourg.

This casts further uncertainty over the timeline for Dogger Bank, which was originally intended to begin commercial operation in 2024.

Sources within the LM Wind Power factory indicate rising anxiety among employees regarding the company’s future. While plans exist for the facility to eventually produce even larger wind turbine blades, some workers doubt their feasibility due to infrastructural limitations.