Wind turbine collapses at wind farm near Windthorst, Texas

A wind turbine collapsed at a wind farm just outside Windthorst, Texas, coming down near Oliver Wells Road. No people and no livestock were harmed. Alterra Power, whose staff were investigating the failure, said this type of failure was extremely rare and said each turbine had been checked. Reporting noted the structure measured over 400 feet from the base to the blade tip. The wind farm was shut down during the investigation and was back in operation at the time of reporting, with the cause of the collapse still not determined.

Not reported; the cause of the structural failure was still under investigation at the time of the report.

1. Structural failures of wind turbines, although rare, can occur without warning, so operators should maintain rigorous inspection and structural monitoring regimes.
2. Shutting a site down after an unexplained structural failure allows safe investigation and checks on sister turbines before output is restored.
3. Clear public communication about inspection practice and exclusion distances helps address community concerns where turbines stand close to roads and farmland.

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