Massive Wind Turbine Collapses and Burns at Colorado Wind Farm
A wind turbine at a northern Colorado wind farm collapsed and caught fire, causing alarm among nearby residents who heard loud noises prior to the incident. The collapse occurred at 8 a.m., but fortunately, no injuries were reported. The fire was ignited by oil and grease from the generator after the tower's collapse.
The Peetz and Crook all-volunteer fire departments quickly responded to the incident.
CREDIT: Local resident Jean Meyer
Employees from Invenergy, a Chicago-based company that operates the wind turbine field on behalf of the current owner, ClearWay Energy, were already on-site when the firefighters arrived. Chief Steven Schumacher of the Peetz Fire Protection District confirmed that this was the first time a tower had collapsed in their area.
Another tower in Fleming, located about a dozen miles southwest of Peetz, had collapsed in 2022. The fallen turbine was one of 19 units in the Spring Canyon II project, which became operational in 2014.
The turbine was located approximately a quarter mile north of Logan County Roads 78 and 65, near the Colorado-Nebraska state line. Logan County Emergency Manager Jerry Casebolt humorously remarked that had the turbine fallen in a northerly direction, it could have landed in Nebraska. However, the burning unit came to rest on a neighboring property.
Witnesses reported hearing banging sounds before the tower's collapse.
Jean Meyer, a resident in the area, described to CBS News how her family initially disregarded the noise, mistaking it for construction work. However, in hindsight, they believe it was a sign that something was amiss. When the tower finally came crashing down, Meyer's family felt the ground shake. They speculate that a blade malfunction may have caused the collapse, much like how poking the side of a soda can causes it to collapse when someone is standing on it.
CREDIT: Local resident Jean Meyer
Weather conditions at the time of the incident were foggy and snowy, but not particularly windy. Meyer expressed her general concerns about wind farms, noting that while the availability of clean energy is important, residents have witnessed the regular replacement of turbine nacelles, blades, and generators without proper recycling.
Logan County Emergency Manager Jerry Casebolt mentioned that the life expectancy of wind turbine towers is generally 25 years. ClearWay Energy, the current owner of the wind farm, released a statement through their spokesperson, Dan Hendrick. The statement acknowledged the tower failure and expressed gratitude for the prompt response from Invenergy and local response services. The company assured that they will collaborate with the relevant parties to investigate the incident further.
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Chief Schumacher praised the cooperation between his fire department and Invenergy. The company's employees ensured that the fire department did not spray water on the fire until the generator had been grounded or the turbine had been disconnected from the 480,000-volt power grid.
As the investigation into the collapse and fire at the Colorado wind farm continues, concerns and questions about the safety and maintenance of wind turbines are likely to arise.