Turbine snap prompts safety fears

 
Safety concerns have been raised after a turbine blade at Scotland's most powerful 


wind farm shattered. 

Details of last week's incident at Crystal Rig, in the Lammermuir Hills near Dunbar, have only 
just emerged. A spokesman for the wind farm said that an investigation was under way and 
there were no conclusions yet. The research group, Scottish Wind Assessment Project (Swap), 
said it highlighted safety implications of blades becoming detached at high speed. Swap said the 
incident raised real questions about the possible position of turbines near houses and public roads. 
 
“ This is not something that happens every day but these blades weigh several tonnes ”


 “the blade literally flew apart in recent high winds”
 
David Bruce - Swap spokesman 
 
The 2.5MW turbines were installed in August 2004 and can produce power for 33,000 homes. 
They are operated on behalf of Fred Olsen Renewables and Natural Power Consultants Ltd.

 
 Story from BBC NEWS:




A member of the public who observed the turbines said: 

"In the gales I noticed that all bar one were motionless. The remaining one was going berserk." 

If you were the person who was underneath it when it happened you wouldn't care less how
 rare it was.
 
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/scotland/4446223.stm