Do Wind Turbines Collapse?

Did you know that wind turbines can collapse, after installation? In one such incident in 2009. A turbine at the Altona, New York wind farm just collapsed to the ground. No one was injured, however no real explanation was ever given to the public on what caused this accident. Nobel Environmental Power is the company that owns the turbine, just released a press release stating that a wiring anomaly had caused the collapse.

Wind Turbine Collapse

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When approached by a local news station with questions on what exactly a ‘wiring anomaly‘ meant the company refused to comment any further. The locals in the area, including those who work with the wind turbines were interviewed. They too did not understand what the explanation given by the company meant.

Wind Turbine Collapse Explanation?

So what could a wiring anomaly, mean? Well if we take it literally then we could assume that the wind turbine had not been wired correctly when installed and this had caused the collapse. However, which wires are we talking about here? The wires within the turbine or the wires connecting it to the grid? Regardless, whichever wires they were referring to, how could this have cause the whole tower to just collapse. Would it not make much more sense if they had said an installation anomaly?

That would suggest that the installation was not done correctly and as a result the turbine collapsed. Maybe a few nuts and bolts had not been screwed tight enough and become loose over time. Another explanation that would make more sense is defective materials. This would suggest that the materials used could have been defective and failed to hold the weight of the turbine leading to the collapse.

Collapses are not common however, people who live around these farms become nervous and those who are already against their installation have more ammunition for their argument. Also when one company is responsible for a number of wind farms in a large area like a county, it is only natural for local residents to be concerned about all their other farms. They too could have a ‘wiring anomaly’ especially if the same materials and procedures are being used across the board. The closer the wind turbines are to homes, the more paranoid the people become of any possible collapses.