Ontario wind turbine collapse blamed on single faulty blade
by The Canadian Press
The 78 megawatt Chatham-Kent wind farm started producing power again last week after a turbine buckled nearly in half earlier this year
The turbine was part of a 78 megawatt wind farm in Chatham-Kent. PHOTO: Monte McNaughton/Twitter
CHATHAM-KENT, Ont.—After an investigation, a Maryland-based renewable energy company has determined that a single faulty blade is responsible for the collapse of one of its wind turbines in southwestern Ontario in January.
Chad Reed, a spokesperson for Terraform Power, says in an email that the one blade was the only problem with the turbine that fell down in Chatham-Kent.
He also says no other problems had been identified during the investigation, which halted the turbines for more than two months.
At the time of the collapse, Progressive Conservative politician Monte McNaughton called on Ontario’s Liberal government to place a moratorium on two other wind projects in the region, citing safety concerns.
Reed says Terraform will continue to “regularly and rigorously” monitor their turbines.
He says the facility returned to service on Thursday.
