“Most failure incidents of wind turbine towers are due to a combination of factors, among which extreme wind is identified as the most common,” says a detailed study of 48 tower collapses between 2000 and 2016 soon to be published by academics from the engineering department at the University of Birmingham in the UK.

Safety Structural Failure Oklahoma

The latest incident follows the collapse in February of a GE turbine at the Casa Mesa Wind Energy Center in eastern New Mexico, which only entered commercial operation in the fourth quarter of last year. The US OEM said then that it would investigate what it believed to be “an isolated incident”.

Safety Structural Failure Oklahoma

A wind turbine at the Chisholm View wind farm near Hunter, Okla., collapsed Tuesday May 21, 2019. Enel Green Power North America, which owns the turbine, is working to determine why it fell. Access to the site was blocked for safety reasons as of Wednesday May 22, 2019.

Safety Structural Failure Oklahoma

The developer pulled the plug on the 220MW Minco V project near Hinton and the 250MW Crowder project in Washita County. NextEra had already agreed with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office in October that it would stop construction of Minco V.

Safety Oklahoma

Plans were dropped Friday to build two west-central Oklahoma wind energy projects, including one that had been paused by potential litigation over concerns it would interfere with low-level military training air routes, their developer announced Friday. ...Scrapped projects are the 220-megawatt Minco V wind farm and a 250-megawatt Crowder wind farm.

Safety USA Oklahoma

House Bill 2118 updates existing law by adding language that prohibits a wind developer from building turbine towers or other structures that also need federal approvals until those have been issued and filed with appropriate authorities at both the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. It also authorizes the Corporation Commission to assess an administrative penalty of up to $1,500 a day, per violation, against any developers who violate that prohibition.

Safety Oklahoma

A Determination of No Hazard and mitigation plan for any adverse impacts to military airspace must be submitted to the Corporation Commission and the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission before wind turbine construction starts. The bill specifies a $1,500 penalty per day, per turbine, for any new construction that doesn't meet the new guidelines, and sets administrative rules for resolving disputes over turbine projects.

Safety Energy Policy Oklahoma

OSMPC contends the wind farm violates a recent amendment to the Wind Energy Development Act. The changes to the law require a determination by the federal government that planned wind turbine construction has no military impact, or the company must have an approved mitigation plan from the Defense Department, before a wind farm is constructed or expanded.

Legal Safety Oklahoma

Officials say the wind farm was being constructed along a route of airspace used by the United State Air Force for training.  Now, the Federal Aviation Administration will complete an investigation to make sure there will be no hazards to anyone involved.

Legal Safety Oklahoma

OSMPC contends the wind farm violates a recent amendment to the Wind Energy Development Act. The changes to the law require a determination by the federal government that planned wind turbine construction has no military impact, or the company must have an approved mitigation plan from the Defense Department, before a wind farm is constructed or expanded.

Legal Safety Oklahoma

A deadline for a mitigation plan for a proposed wind farm near Hinton has been extended a fourth time. Last month, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced an agreement between NextEra Energy Resources and the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission to halt construction of a wind farm at the moment.

Safety Oklahoma

A deadline for a mitigation plan for a proposed wind farm near Hinton has been extended a third time.

Legal Safety Oklahoma

The state will extend the deadline for NextEra Energy Resources and the Department of Defense to reach an agreement on a mitigation plan regarding a wind farm near Hinton that is along a route of airspace the military uses for training.  ...Hunter announced Oct. 2 that NextEra Energy Resources and Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission had agreed to halt the work.

Safety Oklahoma

The Special Aeronautics Commission met about this issue on Sept. 11. A representative from the Attorney General's office was there and they discussed filing civil action to try and stop NextEra from continuing construction of the wind farm. They voted to take action.

Safety Oklahoma

NextEra is building more than 160 turbines, and many neighbors say they are do it illegally. “The law is very clear,” said attorney Kim Spady, who represents some neighbors from Hinton.

Legal Safety Oklahoma

The actions of a Florida-based energy company are proving to be a test case for a new law intended to protect what many believe is Oklahoma's most valuable military asset -- air space. A News 9 investigation reveals the company, NextEra Energy, is putting up new wind turbines without the needed federal approval, in violation of a recently approved state law.

Legal Safety Oklahoma

Renewable energy developer, Innergex, will not be building wind farms near Sheppard Air Force Base ...[wind energy development] continues to be an ongoing issue in Texas and Oklahoma. In fact, Sheppard Air Force Base has already lost three low-level training routes in Oklahoma due to wind turbines.

Safety Oklahoma Texas

After information campaigns from the base and Sheppard Military Affairs Committee (SMAC) about how the developments would negatively impact Sheppard’s training routes, the company removing themselves from the permitting process – meaning their interest in the area is essentially over.

Safety Oklahoma Texas

Hinton Mayor Shelly Newton is still upset about the planned wind farm construction near her town.

Safety Zoning/Planning Oklahoma

"This legislation goes a long way toward protecting and enhancing our number one asset, which is our airspace," Cooper said. "It wasn't about having no wind power. It was about protecting our airspace." Cooper said the bill was crafted with close cooperation between the military, wind industry and Legislature.

Safety Oklahoma