Wind turbine safety and foundations being built today in Massachusetts
Frank Haggerty, Mattapoisett
Turbine technology includes multiple safety mechanisms ?? How safe are they really ?
The Fairhaven project looks like the “What, me worry” project!
Why the worry about safety in Fairhaven after the installation with NO public input on this “Low Key Project”
How safe are the Fairhaven commercial wind turbine foundation installations today? Why did the contractors and selectmen want to keep “low key about the turbine proceedings”?
There are four 1.5 Megawatt Chinese Sinovel turbines being installed by the same developer/contractor in Massachusetts today.
How safe are the installations of the three turbine projects going on in Charlestown, Scituate and Fairhaven?
Four turbines are owned 50% each with several owners. The turbines will be installed in Charlestown ,Scituate and two in Fairhaven. These are the most inexpensive turbines that can be purchased today. They are designed for the contractors with a low budget.
The Sinovel 1.5 MW turbine is said to be up to 25% less expensive than GE or Vestas wind turbines
Click on the URL to read about the three installation sites:
http://www.rechargenews.com/energy/wind/article290935.ece
The first turbine installed in Charlestown during October of 2011 has been shut down in January of 2012 and only operates during mild wind speeds. The base of the turbine sank and several nine inch bolts had to be reset. This was the first of the four wind turbine installations. The engineers have been unable to resolve the foundation problems with the Charlestown wind turbine.
Click on URL to read about the ongoing Charlestown problems .
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1406101
The Scituate wind turbine is built at this time but not in operation.
Engineers say there is nothing to worry about with the foundations of the Fairhaven wind turbines or is there?
Click here to read the don’t worry quotes :
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120228/NEWS/202280320
Charlestown turbine settling won’t be an issue for Fairhaven, developer says
Could the contractor for the Fairhaven wind turbines have built a more expensive foundation for the two wind turbines?
The engineer for the Fairhaven wind turbines told the New Bedford Standard Times : “Fairhaven is on bedrock and we’re drilling anchors into bedrock,” said an engineer for the project. “Rock doesn’t move.”
There appears to be three different methods to anchor wind turbines in bedrock. The Fairhaven method appears to be the most inexpensive.
The best method appears to be to blast a hole and build a gravity type foundation which is more expensive. This is not the case in Fairhaven.
Click here to review the three types of foundations :
http://advanceddevelopmentsite.com/structural-engineering.php
Here’s the bottom line: Are these wind turbine projects being run on an inexpensive budget?
Who is overseeing the safety and quality of these projects?
There was NO public input for the Fairhaven wind turbine project.
Let’s be honest the first of four turbines in this project sank! How long before the other shoe drops? Guess what happens when you go “Low Bid”?
To read todays “What, me worry ” article in the New Bedford Standard Times 3/21 click next;
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120321/NEWS/203210341
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/21/wind-turbine-safety-and-foundations-being-built-today-in-massachusetts/