February 25, 2016
Michigan

Wind turbine partially falls down in Thumb; no injuries

Associated Press, February 25, 2016, detroitnews.com

Oliver Township – A nearly 400-foot wind turbine has partially collapsed in a field in the Thumb.

A nearly 400-foot, 485,000-pound wind turbine has fallen down on a farm field at the site of the state’s first utility-scale wind project, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, in Oliver Township, Michigan. (Photo: Seth Stapleton / AP)

A nearly 400-foot, 485,000-pound wind turbine has fallen down on a farm field at the site of the state’s first utility-scale wind project, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, in Oliver Township, Michigan. (Photo: Seth Stapleton / AP)

The turbine, part of Exelon Wind Generation’s 32-turbine Harvest Wind Farm, fell about 5:20 a.m. Thursday, Oliver Township Supervisor Larry Krohn told the Huron Daily Tribune in Bad Axe.

Exelon was looking into the cause, spokeswoman Kristen Otterness told the Daily Tribune. The National Weather Service reported wind gusts up to 45 mph in the area.

“That section of the wind park will be shut down until company officials can determine that the structural failure is isolated and it’s safe to return other turbines back into service,” Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson said.

The toppled part of the turbine included the blades, WLEW-AM reported. Krohn said it appears only the wind turbine was damaged. No one was hurt.

Last week, a 160-foot, 7-ton turbine blade broke nearby, according to the Daily Tribune. That damaged blade is on a DTE Energy turbine in Sigel Township.

[rest of article available at source]


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/02/25/wind-turbine-partially-falls-down-in-thumb-no-injuries/