Turbine rotor and blades detach and fall into sea at Anholt wind farm
EIR-0792The rotor and all three blades separated from the nacelle of a Siemens Gamesa 3.6 MW wind turbine at the Anholt offshore wind farm off Denmark and fell into the sea. Following the incident, the operator, Orsted, requested precautionary no-sail zones around wind farms in three European countries that use the same turbine model, while it investigated whether the failure indicated a wider fleet issue. After reviewing fleet performance data and carrying out drone inspections of the affected turbine, Orsted concluded the failure was an isolated event rather than a systemic problem, and subsequently lifted the maritime traffic restrictions at its affected sites.
The source does not report a specific technical cause for the separation of the rotor and blades; Orsted's investigation only concluded that the event was not indicative of a systemic issue across its fleet of Siemens Gamesa 3.6 MW to 4 MW turbines.
- Operators should have a clear protocol for imposing precautionary no-sail zones around affected turbines and fleets while investigating a component failure.
- Combining fleet-wide performance data with targeted inspections, such as drone surveys, can help determine quickly whether a failure is an isolated event or a systemic design or manufacturing issue.
- Timely lifting of precautionary restrictions once an investigation concludes should be communicated transparently to stakeholders and the public.
Published 2026-09-15. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.