Following the unexplained collapse of a wind turbine at a Northern Ireland
windfarm last week, one local politician has raised concerns over safety at
windfarms closer to home.
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale MP David Mundell is asking the
Scottish Government, the Health & Safety Executive and Council Building
Control to make them aware of the incident and asking if they are satisfied
that all existing local developments are safe, with no likelihood of such a
collapse.
Seven remaining wind turbines have been shut down at a wind farm near
Fintona, County Tyrone, where a 100-metre high turbine collapsed last
Friday night.
Mr Mundell has also expressed that new developments are being proposed with
turbines closer to people’s homes and he has asked the Scottish Government
and Council to confirm that minimum safe distances between housing and new
Windfarms will be strictly enforced.
Mr Mundell said: “I was extremely concerned to learn about this incident at
the Screggagh Windfarm in Co Tyronne. It is particularly troubling that
there appears to be no obvious explanation such as very high winds at the
time. The turbine involved is similar to many locally with a tower height
of 60 metres, an 80 metres rotor diameter, and an overall base to blade tip
height of 100 metres.
“I understand people in the area said the rotor blades were spinning out of
control on the evening the turbine buckled. The sound of the failing
mechanical structure was heard more than seven miles away and debris from
the stricken turbine was scattered across the mountainside, with a large
spike remaining impaled in the earth several hundred yards from the turbine
site. I am pleased there were no injuries when the turbine collapsed.”
He added: “It’s now vitally important we get to the bottom of what happened
and make sure there are no such incidents possible on local windfarms.
That’s why I want to be clear that the Scottish Government, Health and
Safety Executive and Building Control are all aware of this incident and
the ongoing inquiry. I want to be reassured that all local turbines are
completely safe and not in danger of collapse. We might not be so lucky
next time to avoid injury or damage to property.
“I have been increasingly concerned about how close some proposed new
developments are to people’s homes and this incident reinforces the need
for regulation of that and for it to be enforced. So I am also raising
those issues with the council and the Scottish Government. Of course, a
better solution from my point of view would be to have no new windfarm
developments locally at all.”
Local campaigner, Jerry Mulders added: “I share the concern that
occasionally small mechanical equipment can fail.
“The concern I would have is with the developer promoting recreational and
open areas for land on which windfarms are situated. I would be seeking
reassurances from developers that windfarms are not open as recreational
areas for things like horse riding as a safety precaution.”
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