Vandals cause $100,000 damage to wind testing tower
Wind farm opponents are believed responsible for the destruction of a wind testing tower at a Clunes property at the weekend.
Damage to the meteorological wind mast has been estimated at $100,000 and was caused when several of the steel cables anchoring the 80m tower were severed on Friday night, bringing it to the ground.
DISAPPOINTING: The Clunes property owner stands next to the massive tower and mangled support cable that was cut to bring the 80m high tower to earth. Picture: Andrew Kelly
The tower is part of a feasibility study for the proposed Waubra North wind farm being considered for the site.
Owned by Acciona, the tower had been collecting information at the site to determine the wind resource available.
Tracking wind resource at a site is one of the stages of a study Acciona undertakes before installing wind turbines.
On Monday, Acciona contacted the landowner where the tower was erected, when it was discovered the equipment had stopped tracking data at 10.30pm Friday.
Moorabool Criminal Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Craig Grenfell said the damage was likely a protest against proposed future wind turbines on the property.
“We are looking at the possibility that this is a protest at the turbines being erected in this location,” Det Sen Const Grenfell said.
He said the extent of the damage made the act a serious criminal offence, which the police would be taking seriously.
“If you want to protest, there is no need to cause damage to property.”
The words `No Turbins’ (sic) had been written in white spray paint on the road leading from the property.
Acciona declined to comment on the incident, but urged anyone with information to contact police.
Det Sen Const Grenfell can be contacted at the Moorabool crime investigation unit on 5366 4545.
By Emma Brown
The Courier
8 December 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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