Friday, May 14, 2010

Altona turbine collapse report and new requirements

The Public Service Department's investigation of the collapse of a wind turbine on March 6, 2009, in Altona Wind Farm is complete. The report and subsequent orders are available.

The Public Service Commission will require Altona's operator, Noble Environmental Power LLC, to show cause that the wind farms it operates are safe.

The investigation concluded that the collapse of a turbine and failure of a second at the 65-turbine Altona project were the result of incorrect wire installation. That prevented the turbines from going into an automatic shut-down mode due to loss of electric power. One turbine collapsed while another was damaged.

The commission will add certification for all wind farms it permits that the turbines that lose power will automatically shut down as they are supposed to. The commission gives Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity to all projects over 80 megawatts. In Jefferson County, that would include three of the four proposed projects - Acciona's St. Lawrence Wind Farm now sits at 79.5 megawatts. The included wind farms also must have certification that they are maintained properly.

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