Damage to wind turbines under investigation at two Lakeshore sites

What happened

Lakeshore OPP said they were investigating damaged wind turbines at two separate locations. The first case was reported on 4 April, with visible damage to a transformer, described as a component typically located on the ground near the tower. The second was reported on a Wednesday shortly before a 14 April news report, after workers at a different turbine site noticed damage to the base of the tower. Police asked the public for information about vandalism.

They warned that interference with turbines can risk injury or death from electric shock, fire or explosion, and that damage to towers also endangers the public. The report does not describe the extent of the damage, any injuries, or a confirmed cause.

Contributing factors

Police asked for information about vandalism. The report does not confirm a cause.

Lessons learned

1. Remote turbine sites need physical security and monitoring that can detect interference with ground-level electrical and structural components.
2. Prompt reporting of suspicious activity can help limit further damage while a cause is still unknown.
3. Communities near turbines should be told that interference with electrical equipment can create shock, fire and explosion risks.

Source

windsorstar.com