Wind turbine collapses at Happy Jack wind site near Cheyenne, Wyoming
Feb 2022Published 16 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Happy Jack wind site west of Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Operator
- Duke Energy
- What
- A wind turbine collapsed on 23 February 2022
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Under investigation
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Duke Energy
What happened
A wind turbine collapsed on 23 February 2022 at the Happy Jack wind site west of Cheyenne, Wyoming, which is run by Duke Energy. The site has 14 turbines and has operated since 2008, supplying power to Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power, a division of Black Hills Energy. No injuries were reported. At the time of reporting, roughly two weeks after the collapse, Duke Energy said the cause of the failure remained unknown and under investigation.
The company said it had notified the appropriate agencies and was working with its engineering team and a third-party engineering firm on clean-up. Debris, consisting mainly of steel and fibreglass, was being cleared methodically in line with state and other regulatory requirements, with the aim of restoring the area to its original condition.
Contributing factors
Not reported; the cause of the turbine failure was still under investigation at the time of the report.
Lessons learned
- A collapsed wind turbine leaves steel and fibreglass debris that must be cleared methodically to meet regulatory requirements.
- After a turbine collapse at an onshore wind site, operators should activate a pre-planned debris removal process to restore the area.
- Prompt notification of agencies after a structural failure at a wind farm supports compliance while the cause is investigated.
More lessons on structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Turbine model and age
- Duration of site downtime
- Cost of clean-up and restoration
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-16. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
