MidAmerican Energy crews are busy working on the wind turbines in the northeastern portion of Greene County, known at the Beaver Creek Wind Farm.

Spokesperson Geoff Greenwood tells Raccoon Valley Radio that crews are working on two different projects, with one of them requiring work to be done on the inside of the turbines.

“They are upgrading lightning protection systems that are inside those blades, and that’s being done by the manufacturer of a particular model of Vestas wind turbine. So that’s going on throughout the wind farm. 

Greenwood says that project could be completed as late as June. He points out that when lightning strikes happen, they review the lightning detection sensor data and inspect the turbines that were in vicinity of a lightning strike. He adds that the lightning protection system is designed to channel the strike safely to the ground. 

Greenwood describes what the other project is.

“Following some inspections, we have determined that we want to take off three blades on two turbines. We want crews to do some work on those blades, including upgrading the lightning protection systems before they’re put back up on another turbine.” 

Greenwood notes that this was also in response to the incident that happened last October when a blade broke off a turbine near Paton. Crews will be using cranes to detach the blades and replace them with other blades. Greenwood expects that project to be done in April. He assures the public that all turbines are safe to operate and while their inspections have determined to change a few of them, it will hopefully prevent more frequent inspections in the future.