Repairs reduce P.E.I. wind farm production

Maintenance work has decreased production at the wind farm in Hermanville, P.E.I.

Heather MacLeod, manager of energy assets for Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation, said small cracks were found in five blade bearings.

The blade bearing is an eight foot ring that turns and connects the blade itself to the hub of the turbine.

"So we have ten turbines at the Hermanville wind farm. Each turbine has three blade bearings for each of the three blades. So in total, there are 30 blade bearings," said MacLeod.

"Over the course of the summer the blades have been taken down in order to replace the blade bearings. So cranes were on site and removed the blade, replaced the bearing, and then replaced the blade."

MacLeod said this is the perfect time of year to do the repair work as well as other maintenance to the turbines, adding all the work is being done under warranty.

She added there are 96 big bolts holding a turbine on. Cracks would be in just one or two of these bolts, so there was never any concern about blades coming off.

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