Only a few years after a $2 billion Oklahoma wind project started producing power, hundreds of turbines are having mechanical failures, pitting a large utility against a major U.S. turbine maker.
The owner of the the 1,484-megawatt wind project, utility giant American Electric Power, is suing General Electric Renewables North America over turbine generators at three wind farms collectively known as North Central Energy Facilities. AEP has claimed breach of contract and breach of warranty.
In the lawsuit, AEP said it has already incurred millions of dollars in damages related to turbines that have “completely failed or have otherwise been rendered inoperable, requiring immediate repair.” The company operates utilities in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana that are supplied energy by the wind project.
The Columbus, Ohio-based power company said it expects to incur millions of dollars in additional costs and could be forced to refund money to consumers if the wind project doesn’t produce enough electricity.
