A wind turbine collapsed on private agricultural land at Alinta Wind Farm, 35km south-east of Geraldton in Western Australia last week.
Owner Iberdrola Australia said, “At around 8:30am Western Australia time, Turbine 43 collapsed. The collapse occurred on private
agricultural land. There were no injuries to people and no known injuries to wildlife. At this stage it appears that private property damage is limited to a fence dividing two paddocks along with a portion of a recently planted Canola crop.
Related article: End-of-life plan needed for wind turbine blades, study says
“The local landholders and their representatives were promptly notified. Out of an abundance of caution, the area has been secured, the wind farm has been shut down, and we are currently working with the operations and maintenance contractor, Vestas, to determine the cause of the failure,” a spokesperson said.
“This investigation will also consider what inspections need to be carried out on the balance of the turbines in advance of considering recommencing production at the site. Since the event, Iberdrola Australia has notified applicable regulators and WorkSafe WA has inspected the site and provided clearance for remediation works to commence.”
An incident management committee, led by Iberdrola Australia’s managing director and CEO Ross Rolfe AO, has been established to manage risks and issues arising from this event.
Alinta Wind Farm comprises 54 Vestas V82 wind turbines and has been operating since 2006. The wind farm generates enough renewable energy to power the equivalent of approximately 64,000 homes each year.
Related article: Construction begins on Australia’s largest wind farm
Rolfe said, “The failure of Turbine 43 at Alinta Wind Farm is a serious event. We are currently working closely with regulatory bodies and the operations and maintenance contractor, Vestas, to understand the factors that have contributed to the failure of the turbine.
“The safety and wellbeing of our communities and our people will always be our first priority. At the proper time, the learnings from the investigation will be shared with industry to promote safe operations across Australia’s large and growing fleet of wind farms.”