Faulty Northumberland wind turbines could be taken down

Jun 23 2009 by Ben Guy, The Journal

FAULTY wind turbines in a Northumberland beauty spot could be taken down after they stopped working.

The three giant structures at Kirkheaton, North of Hexham, were put up almost 10 years ago by EDF Energy.

But technical issues have meant that two of the turbines have had to have their blades removed, and haven’t been operational since last autumn.

Planning conditions state that any individual turbine not working for more than six months should be removed and that part of the site restored.

Northumberland County Council is investigating the situation, but now campaigners in the area are calling for the area to be put back to how it was originally.

Charles Harrison lives close to the site and said the broken turbines were a further example of “nonsense” wind farms.

He said: “They don’t work – they produce about 27% of what people claim. They are a nonsense. We are going to end up having power cuts because these things are so unreliable.”

A spokesperson for Northumberland County Council said: “This situation has only recently been brought to our attention.

“There is a condition on the planning permission which requires individual turbines to be dismantled and removed if they are not in operation for a period in excess of six months, and that part of the site restored, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the council as local planning authority. We will contact the operator to discuss the matter in more detail before deciding on an appropriate course of action.”

The site is close to an area that is the subject of a triple inquiry for three separate wind farms, which was wound up yesterday.

A spokesman for EDF Energy said that since being commissioned in 2000 until the end of 2007, the wind farm at Kirkheaton generated a total of 36,508 MWh – enough to supply the annual needs of over 860 homes.

He added: “Following an inspection carried out by its turbine supplier, some technical issues were uncovered with some of the blades on two of the turbines. As a precaution it was decided to remove the blades from the turbines.

“EDF Energy is continuing to work with the turbine manufacturer to determine the best technical and economic solutions to replace the blades and to return the wind farm to full operation.”

Page 2 - Public inquiry draws to a close >>