Probe launched after death at Austrian wind farm

Service provider dies after falling around 100 metres while installing Enercon turbine at a wind farm in eastern Austria

by Craig Richard 25 January 2022

Enercon had been contracted to repower the Potzneusiedl project by utility Energie Burgenland as part of a wider repowering and expansion deal in eastern Austria

Authorities are probing the death of a wind turbine service provider who died at a project in eastern Austria.

He fell around 100 metres in the tower of an Enercon wind turbine that was being installed at the 15MW Potzneusiedl IV-V wind farm in Burgenland, Austria.

Enercon had been contracted to repower the Potzneusiedl project by utility Energie Burgenland as part of a bundle deal of wind farm repowering and expansion in eastern Austria.

A spokesman for the turbine manufacturer confirmed that emergency services called immediately after the incident on Monday (24 January).

He added that the emergency services could only conclude that the man had died, and that police and authorities have begun to investigate the cause of the incident.

The Enercon spokesman added that the manufacturer did not yet know why the man fell in the turbine, and said: “We were deeply shocked and saddened to learn of this news, and would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family. We will do all we can to support the authorities with their investigation of the accident.”