Noble: “Wiring anomaly” found in fallen turbine

Local News

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.

comments powered by Disqus

March 10, 2009

<a href="mailto:avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com">By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG</a> The Press Republican Tue Mar 10, 2009, 04:13 PM EDT

ALTONA — Noble Environmental Power officials say they have detected a “wiring anomaly” in two Altona wind turbines, including the one that snapped in half last Friday.

As the preliminary investigation continues into how a massive turbine suddenly collapsed, Noble officials said this week that the entire wind park experienced a loss of power Friday and that two of its 65 turbines apparently malfunctioned.

Each General Electric turbine is equipped with a system that is supposed to immediately shut down during power outages.

It was unclear what prompted the power loss.

Data suggests an unspecified wiring abnormality kept two turbines running and likely contributed to the collapse.

It was still unclear Tuesday how Turbine 42 broke in half and how badly the other turbine was damaged.

Witnesses have reported seeing the blades on at least one Altona turbine moving erratically Friday morning.

Noble officials refused to elaborate on their investigation Tuesday beyond the information in their latest news release.

General Electric officials confirmed they are conducting tests to inspect the wiring system on each Altona turbine.

A spokesperson with that agency was unsure Tuesday how many had been tested at that time.

The remaining turbines will remain shut down until they have been successfully tested.

A General Electric spokesperson said the company will continue to investigate the exact cause of the collapse but otherwise referred all comment to Noble, which operates several wind parks locally with a fleet of nearly 300 turbines.

Noble officials said “more information will be forthcoming.”

In the latest release, Noble CEO Walt Howard said, “Noble is committed to the safe operations of our turbines.

“To that end, the Noble and GE teams have made an outstanding joint effort to ensure that the remaining fleet of Noble turbines functions safely and efficiently.”

No one was injured during the collapse, which has sparked a new wave of controversy about the safety of local wind parks.

E-mail Andrea VanValkenburg at:

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com