Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Workers electrocuted on 'cracked blade' wind farm

A worker on a wind farm, which incurred a number of cracked blades during a recent storm, was airlifted from the development after receiving an electrical shock.

According to a report in the San Diego Union Tribune, the worker at the Kumeyaay wind farm, which features 25 Gamesa 2MW turbines, was one of three people hurt in the incident. One of the other two was taken to hospital by ambulance.

It is unknown exactly how the incident occured. A spokesman for BluArc, which manages the wind farm, said an investigation had begun into the cause. The wind farm has been temporarily shut down.

The Kumeyaay wind farm, which is owned by Australia's Infigen Energy, came under the spotlight in December last year after a large number of blades cracked during a storm.

No blades were blown from the turbines, however a large number were replaced. According to sources close to the project, a row blew up between Games and Infigen over the cause.

Infigen said the blades should not have cracked in high winds, while Gamesa argued they were set at an improper pitch. Neither company were prepared to comment on the incident.

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