Previously damaged wind turbine collapses overnight at Caney River Wind Farm in Elk County

What happened

KAKE reported on 28 October 2021 that a wind turbine collapsed overnight at the Caney River Wind Farm in Elk County. The Elk County Sheriff's Office told the station that the turbine had already been damaged and that it collapsed as strong winds moved through the area. The report does not say when or how it was first damaged, whether it had been taken out of service, which part failed, or whether anyone was hurt. The station said it had contacted the operator and was still waiting for a reply. The operator is not named.

Contributing factors

The sheriff's office said the turbine had previously been damaged and that it collapsed as strong winds passed through. The nature and date of that earlier damage were not reported, and no cause has been confirmed.

Lessons learned

1. A turbine already known to be damaged should be assessed against expected wind before it is left standing.
2. Its condition, and whether it has been made safe, should be recorded and shared with local emergency services.
3. The earlier damage and the weather at the time should be established before a cause is stated.

Source

kake.com