James Evans MS is seeking assurances from the developers of proposed Wind Farms that they are safe for operation after the blades of a turbine in Scotland crashed to the ground.
It was reported on Friday that the blades of a turbine at insurance and investment company Aviva’s Pitheavlis site in Perth fell off the tower in the early hours of the morning, with Aviva citing an ‘engineering fault’ as the cause of the accident. The turbine was operational for less than a year.
In Wales, there is no nationally prescribed minimum separation distance between wind turbines and residential properties. Technical Advice Note 8 (TAN 8) states that the minimum distance can be as low as 500m. This guidance is outdated, dating back to 2002. When this guidance was created, the tallest wind turbines in Wales were just over 100m high. The proposed wind turbines being proposed currently are as much as 230m or even 250m in height, yet this minimum distance has not been revised. James Evans MS believes this guidance needs urgent updating and based on turbines heights of 200-250m, there should be separation distances of at least 4000m from the nearest residential property.
James has vehemently expressed opposition to the various wind farm proposals around his constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire, and is now seeking assurances that the structures are safe to be in operation.
James Evans MS said:
“This incident in Scotland is deeply concerning. If a brand-new turbine can lose its blades due to an engineering fault, then communities in Brecon & Radnorshire should have real, independent assurance, that every wind turbine meets the highest safety standards.“We must not accept that wind turbines are ‘set and forget’. If failures happen, accountability must follow. Developers should be required to show their blades are tested, maintained and safe, and regulators must be able to inspect and enforce. Residents deserve to know that the proposed turbines for this area have robust safety checks, and that incidents like the one in Perth won’t happen close to home.”
“I am against the Wind Turbine proposals in our area as I believe they will overwhelm our landscape, damage pristine countryside and ecosystems, harm our tourism sector, putting jobs and livelihoods at stake. I am concerned about the noise effects of these turbines and the damage this will have on residences nearby. I will continue to oppose this industrialisation of Mid Wales.”
