The Hon. Beverley McArthur, Member for Western Victoria, Media Release, 19 September 2024
Serrated trailing edges have broken off wind turbines endangering CFA volunteers, farmers and livestock in the vicinity of the infrastructure.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur raised this issue in the Parliament citing it as dangerous and reckless.
“My question for the Minister for Agriculture concerns news that turbines at the brand new Golden Plains wind farm are falling to pieces.
“One of my constituents, Russell Coad, found these serrated trailing edges 750 metres from the turbine on his farm, and other pieces fell within metres of the Barunah CFA fire shed.”
Mrs McArthur rightly pointed out, “If this is happening with brand new turbines, what will happen in future decades?
“The extreme weather event which caused this problem for the turbines was – you have guessed it – wind.
“The next ‘save our sheep’ campaign is going to involve fitting ewes and lambs in hard hats.
“Minister, will you issue a graziers warning to Victorian farmers on the threat from serrated trailing edges of wind towers?”
French owners, soon to be the recipients of $180 million of Victorian electricity bill payers’ subsidies annually, contacted locals saying:
“GP1 has continued working with Vestas and WorkSafe to understand the cause behind the blade serration detachment”¦ Vestas are currently undertaking a risk assessment for works within 400m from a WTG (Wind Turbine Generator)”¦
“During this time, whilst we expect the risk of further detachment to be low given the extreme weather event has subsided, we recommend hard hats be worn if critical farming works (outside of a vehicle) are required to be completed within 400m of the turbines.
“If works without are not critical, we recommend postponing until the second risk assessment is completed and further communications are issued. If an extreme weather event returns, we recommend personnel remain in a vehicle when travelling or working in proximity to turbines until the extreme weather event subsides.”
Contrary to the text message local have found pieces of the wind turbine outside of the 400m buffer zone.
