Repeated lightning strikes reported at two Iowa wind turbines, with blade debris scattered over farmland
Aug 2024Published 10 Oct 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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Companies named in this entry: Acciona
What happened
Two wind turbines on a family farm near Mechanicsville, Cedar County, Iowa, were reported struck by lightning three times in about 18 months, one of them twice. Blades were reported shattered and debris was reported spread over about 240 acres. The most recent strike was on 15 August, after which a neighbour called the family to say a turbine was on fire again. The source gives no year for this date; 2024 is inferred from the article date of 14 October 2024.
By October the family said debris was becoming embedded in the topsoil and they feared it would contaminate their corn at harvest. Acciona Wind Power, which the source says was permitted to install the turbines, removed one foundation and was discussing how to remove the second. The family asked for a crane rather than explosives, because explosives could scatter more debris; the company said a crane was not safe. The source says Cedar County's decommissioning bond does not cover cleanup. The cause of the fire and of the blade failures is not reported.
Contributing factors
Repeated lightning strikes on the same two turbines were reported. The source does not state the cause of the fire or of the blade failure. Debris in the topsoil and the choice of foundation removal method were disputed between the family and the company. The decommissioning bond does not cover cleanup.
Lessons learned
- Where turbines suffer repeated lightning strikes, operators should review lightning protection and blade inspection regimes and share findings with landowners.
- Decommissioning and site restoration bonds should explicitly cover debris and blade cleanup, not only foundation removal.
- Easement agreements should set out in advance how blade debris will be cleared and which removal methods are acceptable, to avoid disputes after an incident.
More lessons on weather and external hazards, structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.
Source
Published 2026-10-10. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
