Turbine collapses at Halkirk 2 wind project near Castor

What happened

Tower 33 at the Halkirk 2 wind project near Castor fell on 8 November 2024 while the recently constructed site was being brought online and introducing power to Alberta's grid. The collapse caused a complete loss of the tower and a suspension order for the entire field. An investigation by the turbine manufacturer and an independent third party found that incorrectly calibrated tools had been used to tension the tower-to-nacelle structural bolts.

Site cleanup was later reported complete, with components cut or dismantled and taken for recycling or disposal, including transport to a specialised recycling facility near Brooks, Alberta. In late November 2025 the project was reported to have resumed commissioning and to be supplying power to the grid again. Commercial operation was tentatively targeted by the end of 2025, subject to weather and other factors.

Contributing factors

The investigation attributed the collapse to the use of out-of-tolerance tooling to tension the tower-to-nacelle structural bolts during assembly.

Lessons learned

1. Verify calibration and tolerance of tooling before structural bolt tensioning on turbines.
2. Apply independent checks of critical assembly steps during commissioning.
3. Plan for investigation, safe removal and recycling or disposal of a failed turbine before the site returns to service.

More lessons on structural integrity and turbines, design, standards and commissioning, investigation and fleet-wide checks, from every incident on the register.

Source

reddeeradvocate.com