May 16, 2013
California
California
Blade falls from Ocotillo wind turbine project
By ALEJANDRO DÁVILA, Staff Writer | Imperial Valley Press | May 16, 2013 | www.ivpressonline.com
By ALEJANDRO DÁVILA, Staff Writer | Imperial Valley Press | May 16, 2013 | www.ivpressonline.com
A blade of one of the 112 turbines recently installed in Ocotillo fell to the ground overnight, although it is unclear if the malfunction occurred Wednesday or today.
The project has been partly operating since January as construction activities were ongoing. Not one turbine was seen spinning as of 10 a.m. today, and crews were seen working in the area as of 10:22 a.m.
The turbine malfunction comes less than a month after Pattern Energy, the developer of the controversial Ocotillo Wind Express project, announced it completed construction activities.
Imperial County Fire Chief Tony Rouhotas said Ocotillo firefighters have not been called to respond to any related incident.
Some Ocotillo residents, as well as local Native American tribes and environmentalist, have long opposed the project over safety concerns and impacts to the desert´s biological and archaeological resources.
Ocotillo wind turbine blade falls (ALEJANDRO DAVILA / May 16, 2013)
For more please read Friday´s edition of the Imperial Valley Press
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/05/16/blade-falls-from-ocotillo-wind-turbine-project/