Portsmouth’s Wind Turbine

Portsmouth, a historic port town on the south coast of England. The starting point for many sea-faring journeys be they to the Isle of Wight (just a mile away) or a liner cruise to the Bahamas. In the days of Henry VIII and Elizabeth the First, it was home to the mighty English fleet, when the wind was the power behind the ships. But we are talking here about another Portsmouth- one at East Bay in the United States.

It seemed a great idea at the time- to give Portsmouth High School a green boost by having a wind turbine. The problem is that the wind turbine has been inactive since June 2012. The turbine is located behind Portsmouth high school’s tennis courts and is very visible to motorists  on Route 24.  It’s been proposed that the turbine be used as a giant advertising hoarding instead of being fixed!

Portsmouth WT at HS from Supplier folder 300x2011 Portsmouths Wind Turbine

The turbine cost $220,000 a year for the next ten years. The turbine has a faulty gear- so why wasn’t a maintenance contract included in the original deal? Portsmouth High School wind turbine. The local Council have been in negotiations with two possible developers interested in fixing or replacing the 336-foot-high turbine, but so far these have come to nought.

The town is considering three options: replace the turbine’s broken gearbox; replace the entire turbine with a new, more reliable model; and take down the turbine and sell if for scrap. The latest idea to hire out the turbine as an advertisement is not taken too seriously.

The 1.5-megawatt turbine was commissioned in March 2009. The turbine was expected to have a 20-year life expectancy but was shut down June 18, 2012, after the gearbox showed significant worn. An independent investigation blamed the damage on a faulty gearbox. The gearbox, however, was no longer covered by warranty and the manufacturer of the turbine, AAER Wind Energy of Quebec, is no longer in business. Three of five turbines of the same make and model erected in California and Templeton, Mass., also suffered gearbox failure.

The manufacturer of the gearboxes, Jahnel Kestermann of Germany, had originally offered to sell two replacement gearboxes to the town for $203,000. It would cost the town an additional $407,000 to remove the old gearbox and install a new one.  However the Council fear that they may be throwing good money after bad in that the new gearbox may breakdown before the expected lifetime of the turbine.

In the meantime the turbine remains silent and unmoving- a testament to what can happen if you rush into a deal without adequate clauses for maintenance.