Blade Fell off Wind Turbine Due to Loose Bolts
Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©
An investigation has determined what caused a blade from a One Energy wind turbine to detach and fall to the ground in Findlay, Ohio, on January 22, 2024.
One Energy, whose CEO Jereme Kent had emphasized the rarity of such an occurrence in his nearly 20-year career in the wind industry, had immediately shut down its entire fleet of wind turbines pending a thorough investigation.
The probe revealed that an abnormality in the bolted flange assembly, which connects the blade to the hub, led to higher than intended load transfer to the blade bolts. This caused the bolts to fatigue much faster than designed, eventually leading to a cascading failure of multiple bolts and the detachment of the blade.
In response to the findings, One Energy inspected every major bolted flange in each turbine and rechecked the torque of each "field-installed" bolt before restarting the turbines. The company has also developed new monitoring and testing programs, in collaboration with independent engineers and research institutions.
At Tsamouris, we believe that by working together as an industry to improve safety and maintenance practices in fasteners, we can ensure the continued growth and success of renewable energy projects while prioritizing the well-being of communities.
An investigation has determined what caused a blade from a One Energy wind turbine to detach and fall to the ground in Findlay, Ohio, on January 22, 2024.
One Energy, whose CEO Jereme Kent had emphasized the rarity of such an occurrence in his nearly 20-year career in the wind industry, had immediately shut down its entire fleet of wind turbines pending a thorough investigation.
The probe revealed that an abnormality in the bolted flange assembly, which connects the blade to the hub, led to higher than intended load transfer to the blade bolts. This caused the bolts to fatigue much faster than designed, eventually leading to a cascading failure of multiple bolts and the detachment of the blade.
In response to the findings, One Energy inspected every major bolted flange in each turbine and rechecked the torque of each "field-installed" bolt before restarting the turbines. The company has also developed new monitoring and testing programs, in collaboration with independent engineers and research institutions.
At Tsamouris, we believe that by working together as an industry to improve safety and maintenance practices in fasteners, we can ensure the continued growth and success of renewable energy projects while prioritizing the well-being of communities.
Blade Fell off Wind Turbine Due to Loose Bolts
Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©
An investigation has determined what caused a blade from a One Energy wind turbine to detach and fall to the ground in Findlay, Ohio, on January 22, 2024.
One Energy, whose CEO Jereme Kent had emphasized the rarity of such an occurrence in his nearly 20-year career in the wind industry, had immediately shut down its entire fleet of wind turbines pending a thorough investigation.
The probe revealed that an abnormality in the bolted flange assembly, which connects the blade to the hub, led to higher than intended load transfer to the blade bolts. This caused the bolts to fatigue much faster than designed, eventually leading to a cascading failure of multiple bolts and the detachment of the blade.
In response to the findings, One Energy inspected every major bolted flange in each turbine and rechecked the torque of each "field-installed" bolt before restarting the turbines. The company has also developed new monitoring and testing programs, in collaboration with independent engineers and research institutions.
At Tsamouris, we believe that by working together as an industry to improve safety and maintenance practices in fasteners, we can ensure the continued growth and success of renewable energy projects while prioritizing the well-being of communities.
An investigation has determined what caused a blade from a One Energy wind turbine to detach and fall to the ground in Findlay, Ohio, on January 22, 2024.
One Energy, whose CEO Jereme Kent had emphasized the rarity of such an occurrence in his nearly 20-year career in the wind industry, had immediately shut down its entire fleet of wind turbines pending a thorough investigation.
The probe revealed that an abnormality in the bolted flange assembly, which connects the blade to the hub, led to higher than intended load transfer to the blade bolts. This caused the bolts to fatigue much faster than designed, eventually leading to a cascading failure of multiple bolts and the detachment of the blade.
In response to the findings, One Energy inspected every major bolted flange in each turbine and rechecked the torque of each "field-installed" bolt before restarting the turbines. The company has also developed new monitoring and testing programs, in collaboration with independent engineers and research institutions.
At Tsamouris, we believe that by working together as an industry to improve safety and maintenance practices in fasteners, we can ensure the continued growth and success of renewable energy projects while prioritizing the well-being of communities.
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