Wind turbine tower collapses at Kilgallioch Wind Farm, Ayrshire

What happened

A 480-foot wind turbine at the Kilgallioch wind farm near Barrhill, Ayrshire, collapsed in the early hours of 13 January 2017 during a storm with 55mph gusts and snow squalls. The 160-tonne turbine, valued at around £2 million, had not yet been commissioned and was not generating electricity. According to a source cited by a local newspaper, the 328-foot tower creased at the access door near ground level before falling, scattering debris including three blades and switchgear over roughly half a kilometre.

No one was in the vicinity at the time and no injuries were reported. The operator, ScottishPower Renewables, did not publicly disclose the incident for seven days, prompting criticism from the local community. A joint investigation was launched by the operator and the turbine manufacturer, Gamesa, and the incident was reported to statutory authorities.

Contributing factors

High winds of around 55mph combined with snow squalls at the time of the collapse; the turbine had not yet been commissioned or connected to the grid, and the cause of the structural failure at the tower's access door was under investigation.

Lessons learned

1. An uncommissioned wind turbine tower can still collapse in high winds, so operators must keep remote monitoring and weather response plans active before grid connection.
2. Tower creasing at the access door shows that door cut-outs need extra reinforcement checks during fabrication and quality assurance.

More lessons on weather and external hazards, structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• Turbine model and age
• Exact cause of the structural failure
• Cost of debris clearance and replacement

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

Daily Record (dailyrecord.co.uk)