October 26, 2016
Michigan

Manufacturer investigating broken blades on new turbines

Brenda Battel, Tribune Staff Writer | Huron Daily Tribune | Wednesday, October 26, 2016 | www.michigansthumb.com

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP – A wind turbine manufacturer is investigating the reason blades broke on two separate turbines last week.

On Friday, two blades broke and bent in half on turbines at the Deerfield Wind Energy Project near the intersection of Redman and Iseler roads.

“It’s early in the investigation process,” said Dave Philpott, project manager for the park, which is owned by Algonquin Power of Ontario, Canada.

The blades stayed connected, and did not fall, he told the Huron County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday morning.

Vestas is building and testing the turbines.

“We’re working with the turbine supplier (Vestas) to come up with a plan to remove the blades,” Philpott said. “They will present that to us shortly.”

“In terms of safety, we’ve barricaded the area off, and we’re taking all precautions to protect the public.”

The third turbine that had been reported as damaged actually had a piece of fish net hanging from the blade, Algonquin spokesperson Alison Holditch said.

Fish net is put on the blades for safety purposes, she said, and the crew now is working on removing the fishnet from all of the turbines.

Vestas is currently determining the repair schedule, Holditch said.

Vestas is also introducing an inspection plan before commissioning any of the turbines, Philpott said.

Commercial operation of the wind park is expected to begin by the end of 2016, she said.

Construction began at the end of 2015.

The project is comprised of 72 turbines, all of which have been erected, Holditch said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/10/26/manufacturer-investigating-broken-blades-on-new-turbines/