Wind turbines returned to work
EAST POINT, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - All 10 turbines at a wind farm in eastern P.E.I. are back in operation for the first time since March, when six of them were taken offline due to problems in their gear boxes.
There were delays in getting the turbines back in operation.
The $47 million project at East Point had only been spinning for a little over a year when the problem was discovered. Originally, the province thought repairs would be done two months ago, but testing on the final repair was only recently completed.
In the spring, strong winds prevented work at the top of the 50-metre towers. Spring weight restrictions on the roads also delayed Vestas, the company that built and repaired the towers. It had to wait for the restrictions to be lifted before it could move repair equipment.
Vestas paid for the repairs under warranty, but that's not the only cost to consider. A lot of electricity has been lost since while the turbine stood idle for five months, but most of that is also covered under the warranty.
"With the software, you're able to calculate what the expected wind would be at that time, and to tell you how much power you should be generating," Ron Estabrooks, energy adviser for the province, told CBC News.
Vestas will pay the province for 95 per cent of the power that would have been generated. P.E.I. arranged this special agreement with Vestas in a five-year warranty and maintenance package that's costing taxpayers a million dollars a year.
"In this case, I would say it was a million dollars well-spent," said Estabrooks.
The cheque from Vestas is expected in the next couple of months, but Estabrooks said people will have to wait for official financial reports to learn what the amount is.
Related News
BC residents split on going nuclear for electricity generation: survey
VANCOUVER - There is a long-term need to produce more electricity to meet population and economic growth needs and, in particular, create new clean energy sources.
Increasingly, in the worldwide discourse on climate change, nuclear power plants are being touted as a zero-emission clean energy source and a key solution towards meeting reduced emissions goals. New technological advancements could make nuclear power far safer than existing plant designs.
When queried on whether British Columbia should support nuclear power for electricity generation, respondents in a new province-wide survey by Research Co. were split, with 43% in favour and 40% against.
Levels of support reached…