March 3, 2015
Spain

Storms bring down Gamesa turbine

3 March 2015 by Michael McGovern | Windpower Monthly | www.windpowermonthly.com

Iberdrola confirmed it is investigating a turbine fall in February affecting a Gamesa G47-660kW wind turbine at the 16-year old 19.8MW El Tablado wind plant in Zaragoza and Soria, one of Spain’s windiest provinces.

Gamesa declined to comment on specifics saying accountability falls entirely on utility Iberdrola, which is both the owner and provider of operation and maintenance (O&M) at El Tablado.

An Iberdrola spokesman told Windpower Monthly that the plant was exposed to gales of over 200 km/hour, far in excess of the G47’s top operating speed of 90 km/hour.

Pending investigation results, Iberdrola believes excess winds to be the cause of the fall.

The plant had been shut down and evacuated of all personnel for safety reasons hours before the 45m-high turbine –one of 30 G47 machines making up El Tablado – came crashing to the ground on February 6.

The G47, now discontinued, was Gamesa’s workhorse turbine until the early 2000s. In December last year, DNV GL certified Gamesa’s 10-year life extension programme for the G47.

[rest of article available at source]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/03/03/storms-bring-down-gamesa-turbine/