Eemsmond wind farm problems continue
Problems continue to dog the Kenetech machines at Dutch utility EDON's Eemsmond wind farm in Eemshaven, Groningen. On December 7 all 94 Kenetech machines in the wind farm were shut down following the failure of one machine. According to EDON's Hein Akkerboom, a failure in the bolts connecting the hub assembly to the nacelle led to the blade unit falling from the machine. An earlier incident on October 8 had been dismissed as exceptional, but further investigation has shown that as many as 20 units may be affected. The wind plant will be shut down while EDON, along with engineering concern Stork and the Dutch Energy Research Centre, ECN, examine the units identified as prone to similar failures. Akkerboom hopes the wind farm, made up of units from the long bankrupt American wind company, Kenetech, will be working normally by mid-February.