Nordex turbine collapses at Screggagh wind farm after blade control fault
EIR-0869A 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.
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.
- Blade and pitch control system faults can emerge after several years of apparently normal operation, so failure modes should not be assumed to be ruled out by an uneventful service history.
- Precautionary health and safety alert processes and early notification of local emergency services can limit the consequences of a catastrophic turbine failure.
- After a structural failure, testing the safety systems of the remaining fleet and having the results reviewed by an independent consultant before restart provides assurance that similar units are safe to operate.
Published 2026-09-15. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.