Wind turbine catches fire in one of Australia’s oldest wind projects

A wind turbine located in one of Australia’s oldest wind projects caught fire this week, engulfing the nacelle (or motor) and two of its blades.

The fire at the 66MW Cathedral Rocks wind farm west of Port Lincoln, at the tip of the Eyre Peninsula, was reported by the South Australia Country Fire Service.

It was called to the facility, near Sleaford, at around 10pm on Tuesday, January 24.

“3 CFS trucks and command crews supported by SAPOL have attended the private property where a wind turbine was already well involved in fire,” the CFS said in a statement.

“The motor of the wind turbine is believed to have been the ignition point of the fire, with two blades also burning. Debris from the turbine has sparked a small grass fire approximately 150 metres in length below.

“Due to the unsafe conditions within close proximity of the turbine, heavy machinery is enroute to the scene to create containment lines around the grass fire in order to prevent spread. Losses are estimated to be contained to the replacement value of the turbine.”

The wind farm, which began operations in May, 2007 after starting construction in 2004, features 33 Vestas 2MW turbines, and is now jointly owned by EnergyAustralia and Acciona Energia.

A spokesperson for Acciona confirmed that a fire had occurred in the nacelle of a wind turbine at the Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm

“No one was injured during the incident and we are currently investigating the cause.

“Our Operations teams activated our Emergency Response Plan and emergency services teams attended the site creating a fire break and exclusion zone around the turbine during the night.

It’s not the first time a turbine has caught fire at Cathedral Rocks. Another fire incident occurred on one of the turbines in 2009.