Nordex turbine collapses at Screggagh wind farm after blade control fault
Jan 2015Published 15 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Screggagh wind farm, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland
- What
- Nordex N80 2500kW turbine collapsed on 2 January 2015
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Unique fault in blade control system
- Outcome
- Debris fell within site boundary, site shut down
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Nordex, Screggagh wind farm
What happened
A 100 metre high wind turbine at Screggagh wind farm in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, collapsed on 2 January 2015 after almost four years of uninterrupted operation. The turbine, one of eight Nordex N80 2500kW machines, buckled and hit the ground, scattering debris across the mountainside site. Wind speeds at the time were described as medium, around 10 to 12 metres per second. No personnel were on site and no injuries occurred.
Debris, including parts that became embedded in the ground, fell within the site boundary, with the furthest piece landing 264 metres from the turbine; none reached public roads or neighbouring land. Emergency services attended within minutes. The site was shut down while turbine supplier Nordex UK investigated. An interim investigation concluded the collapse was caused by a unique fault in the blade control system not previously seen in the Nordex fleet, applicable only to turbines of a similar generation. The operator said Nordex had implemented an additional protective measure to prevent a recurrence.
Contributing factors
A fault in the wind turbine blade control system, described by the supplier in its interim investigation as unique and applicable only to turbines of a similar generation to those installed at the site.
Lessons learned
- A blade control fault on a Nordex N80 turbine can cause collapse after four years of normal operation, so operators should add extra protection even on turbines with clean service records.
- Debris from a collapsed 100 metre turbine can travel 264 metres, so operators must set exclusion zones and confirm they cover the full fall radius.
- Emergency services reached the site within minutes with no one present, showing that rapid notification procedures limit the consequences of a turbine collapse.
More lessons on structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Final investigation conclusions
- Downtime before restart
- Cost of the collapse and investigation
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Site page: Screggagh (status, dates and other incidents)
Published 2026-09-15. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
