Engie probes problems at Latin American wind facilities using Siemens Gamesa turbines 

Engie and Siemens Gamesa are investigating issues at two of the former’s wind farms in Latin America involving turbines under scrutiny over technical problems at the manufacturing giant.

Catherine MacGregor, during a conference call to discuss latest results, updated analysts on “technical problems that have been experienced by Siemens Gamesa and its 4.X and 5.X onshore turbine platform”.

Global developer Engie uses the turbines in question at two wind farms in Latin America, said the CEO.

“We have encountered technical issues at one of them. Remediation work is in progress while Siemens Gamesa is finalising its root cause analysis.”

MacGregor said the other site, Santo Agostinho in Brazil, had also “had an isolated event which at this stage seems to be unrelated to these current wider issues”.

It was reported in early July that a blade broke at Santo Agostinho, which uses 6.2MW turbines – among the most powerful operating on land globally – from Siemens Gamesa’s 5.X platform.

MacGregor did not identify the other project. Siemens Gamesa has supplied SG 5.0-145 turbines from its 4X platform to the 260MW Punta Lomitas project in Peru, which entered service for Engie in June this year.

A spokesperson for Engie confirmed that Punta Lomitas is the project in question with “a limited number of turbines” affected. MacGregor said Engie has “started a full operational review” at relevant sites.

Engie and Siemens Gamesa have been contacted for further details.

Siemens Gamesa turbines are currently under intense scrutiny as part of an apparent wide-ranging set of quality issues that have beset the manufacturer and recently forced Siemens Energy to announce a potential new $1bn-plus bill for fixing them.

Engie ambition

More widely, Engie said it expects to add an average of 4GW a year of renewables from its fast-growing pipeline until 2025 as it reported a sharp boost in profits from its green power operation.

Engie – which has an expanding onshore renewables business and is co-owner with EDPR of offshore wind developer Ocean Winds – had an 85GW green project pipeline by the end of the year, it said as it unveiled half-year results.

Engie’s renewables business delivered €1.2bn ($1.3bn) of operating profit to the group in the six months to June, up by 43% on the same period last year, driven by higher hydropower volumes and power prices.

CEO MacGregor said: “In the first semester, Engie has achieved a very strong financial performance, driven by the development of our renewable activities and the results of our energy management activities in a context still characterised by high price volatility.”

The French player in the first half expanded its renewables base with the acquisition of BTE Renewables in South Africa, adding another 340MW operating and 3GW in pipeline in a nation where it already has more than 1GW in service.

It is currently building projects including the 900MW Moray West offshore wind project in Scotland and the 500MW Gulf of Suez wind farm in Egypt.