Windmills lose blades in high winds
The strong winds that buffeted the Tokai and Kanto regions Tuesday apparently snapped the massive blades of two wind turbines in Higashi-Izucho, Shizuoka Prefecture, officials of the company that operates the turbines said.
The site hosts 10 windmills belonging to CEF Izuatagawa Wind Farm Co., a subsidiary of Nemuro, Hokkaido-based wind power generation company Clean Energy Factory Co. Each windmill is 103.5 meters tall, and can generate 1,500 kilowatts. Turbines No. 4 and No. 5 each lost one of their three 37-meter-long blades.
According to company officials, another wind turbine owned by the Higashi-Izucho municipal government and located about three kilometers away from the broken wind turbines recorded wind gusts of 174.6 kph on Tuesday morning. Lightning also was reported near the site.
A resident staying at a resort villa near the broken windmills heard a large thumping noise at about 4 a.m. Tuesday, the officials said. CEF Izuatagawa Wind Farm believes strong winds and lightning strikes broke off the blades.
The windmills, which can withstand wind gusts up to 198 kph, were in a trial phase of operation, the officials said.
10 April 2008
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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