A wind turbine at a wind farm in northern Colorado folded in half and caught fire on Thursday morning, causing a stir among local residents who reported hearing banging noises leading up to the collapse.
The incident was reported at 8 a.m., with no reported injuries. The fire, ignited by oil and grease from the generator after the tower’s collapse, drew the response of personnel from the Peetz and Crook all-volunteer fire departments. The wind turbine field, initially owned by Chicago-based Invenergy and currently operated by ClearWay Energy, saw employees from the latter already on-site when the firefighters arrived, according to Peetz Fire Protection District Chief Steven Schumacher.
“This is the first downed tower we’ve had,” Schumacher noted, mentioning a tower collapse in Fleming, approximately a dozen miles southwest of Peetz, in 2022. The fallen turbine is one of 19 units in the Spring Canyon II project, operational since 2014.
Schumacher confirmed that Invenergy employees ensured the fire department refrained from spraying water on the fire until the generator had been grounded or the turbine disconnected from the 480,000-volt power grid. He expressed gratitude for the continued “good working relationship” with the turbine company, emphasizing their commitment to safety through annual training sessions.
“Their company does not allow us to go up towers with them,” Schumacher explained. “The insurance liability has changed recently, is what we’ve been told. They are trained in up-tower self-rescue. We’re there for ground support, as we call it.”
Situated approximately a quarter mile north of Logan County Roads 78 and 65, the turbine came to rest “a couple of football fields away” from the Colorado-Nebraska state line, as noted by Logan County Emergency Manager Jerry Casebolt. Residents in the vicinity reported feeling the ground shake as the turbine collapsed.
Jean Meyer, whose property could have been impacted had the unit fallen in a northerly direction, recounted the moments leading up to the incident. Her family heard banging sounds but attributed them to possible construction work. Meyer expressed general concerns about wind farms and emphasized the need for comprehensive plans to address potential issues.
“It was foggy and snowing at the time,” Meyer said, “but not windy.”
Jerry Casebolt indicated that the life expectancy of the towers is 25 years. Clearway Energy, the current operator, released a statement through spokesman Dan Hendrick, stating, “On Thursday morning, a tower at the Spring Canyon Wind Energy Center experienced a failure. There were no injuries. Invenergy immediately activated its response procedure, and worked with local response services to address the situation. We are very grateful for their prompt and professional response, and we will continue working together to investigate the incident.”