Bremen, 20 October 2023 – In the night of 14 October to 15 October 2023, a rotor blade on a wind turbine at the Alfstedt-Ebersdorf wind park in Lower Saxony, Germany, snapped off and partially broke off. As a result, debris and, among other things, finer fibres of the rotor blade scattered in the immediate surroundings. No personal injuries occurred.
Immediately after the incident had occurred, Energiekontor instructed all the wind turbines in the park to be shut down for safety reasons and requested GE Wind Energy GmbH to conduct a rapid and comprehensive analysis of the damage caused to the turbine concerned. The root cause analysis is ongoing and has not yet been completed.
The wind park is currently not in operation. The damaged wind turbine and the access routes to the wind park have been cordoned off. Energiekontor has also commissioned a security service to prevent unauthorised persons from entering for their own protection.
In this context, we respectfully advise all persons who intend to visit the wind park and the wind turbine concerned to respect the respective cordons for their own protection and not to enter the cordoned-off area.
On Thursday, 19 October 2023, an external service company has started to remove the fallen debris of the damaged rotor blade. In the first step, the removal is taking place in the area around the separately cordoned off wind turbine only. The area around the wind turbine requires a separate safety inspection, so that debris located there can only be removed once the inspection has been completed and the area has been approved. The same applies to the pending removal of the still hanging rotor blade components. If necessary, the removal will continue over the weekend.
As already included in our first statement of 16 October 2023, affected farmers and land owners can report their damage to Energiekontor. Energiekontor will record and examine the respective matter and endeavour to provide rapid support.
Contact for affected farmers and land owners
Ulrich Deltz
Head of EPC
Phone: +49 (0)421-3304220
Email: ulrich.deltz@energiekontor.com
Holger Niehuisen
Technical Project Coordinator
Mobile: +49 (0)162 2802032
Email: holger.niehuisen@energiekontor.com
Contact for offices, authorities and other institutions
Stefan Rimbeck
Head of Operations Management
Mobile: +49 (0)162-1313044
Email: stefan.rimbeck@energiekontor.com
Contact for press and investors
Julia Pschribülla
Head of Investor & Public Relations
Phone: +49 (0)421-3304126
Email: julia.pschribuella@energiekontor.com
As a renewable energy company, Energiekontor makes a contribution to an independent, affordable and climate-friendly energy supply in Germany - today and in the future. Energiekontor deeply regrets the damage that has once again been caused and shares the disappointment and anger that has arisen locally.
Energiekontor is aware of its responsibility and will continue to do everything in its power to remedy the damage caused in the best possible and sustainable way for the benefit of those affected and the environment, while also holding the manufacturer, GE Wind Energy GmbH, to account.
Kind regards,
Energiekontor AG
Mary-Somerville-Strasse 5
28359 Bremen
Germany
www.energiekontor.de