The sources said the company on Wednesday notified employees in North America, Latin America, the Middle-East and Africa about the cuts. It also has plans to cut its onshore wind workforce at a later date in Europe and Asia Pacific.

The cuts are expected to affect 20% of the onshore wind unit's workforce in the United States, they added. This would equate to hundreds of workers, one of the sources said.

GE confirmed to Reuters it was "streamlining" its onshore wind business in response to market realities but did not comment directly on any workforce cuts.

"These are difficult decisions, which do not reflect on our employees' dedication and hard work but are needed to ensure the business can compete and improve profitability over time," a GE Renewables spokesperson said in an emailed statement.