Viking wind farm issues
It seems that the Viking wind farm is having a number of technical issues already. Less than two years since it became operational (if spasmodically!) this is quite worrying.
Already, at least three turbine blades have had to be replaced and this week there are signs of another problem.
Tell-tale signs of dust around the Scallafield tracks and a large crane in the area indicate work being done on another turbine. There is a rumour that a turbine gearbox has failed and is being replaced. I hope that it is under warranty!
Maybe they could consider basing a very large crane here in Shetland if problems like this continue. It must cost a fortune to ship these cranes here and not something you would want to be doing regularly.
On the subject of dust, it is clear that the unbound wind farm tracks are always going to have that issue, unless a better final surface is laid. The land on either side of the tracks will continue to be polluted until this is done. The track to the converter station, which has more frequent usage, really needs a permanent surface.
Perhaps, as SSE try to make good the damage to the main roads that has been done by cable operations, they should tar the track to the converter station at Upper Kergord at the same time.
No doubt SSE will be secretive about the problems that they are having, as is normal for them. We still don’t know how they disposed of the turbine blades that had to be replaced. Also, they should avoid attracting attention to what they doing by taking care of the dust problem, if they want to be secretive!
Frank Hay
Weisdale
