The East Point Wind Plant at Elmira has taken six of its 10 V90-3.0 MW wind turbines off-line to avoid further damage to the gearboxes after discovery of problems with them during routine inspections.

Vestas-Canadian Wind Technology, Inc., supplier of the turbines, is in the process of delivering replacement gearboxes for the affected turbines to the wind plant.

The spring weight restriction on Island roads were in effect when the gearbox problems were discovered and prevented the transport of a large capacity crane required to remove and replace gearboxes at the top of the turbines. Necessary repairs will begin immediately, with the operation is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Vestas-Canadian Wind Technology, Inc. says it takes responsibility for all replacement parts and labour under the terms and conditions of the current agreement for the facility.

"We are focusing our efforts on delivering the parts to the site to ensure the timely replacement of the gearboxes. Our main objective is to get the turbines online again so that they can start generating clean renewable energy," says Jens Søby, President of Vestas Americas.

He says the V90-3.0 MW wind turbine is the largest and most powerful turbine in commercial operation on the North American market.

"The technology is still new and it is a key focus area of ours to continuously develop and improve the reliability of our products. As part of these efforts, Vestas has, for example, built an advanced test center in Denmark where we test turbine components and develop solutions."

Vestas-Canadian Wind Technology, Inc. has worked closely with the owners of the East Point Wind Plant and kept them informed of the issue and the company's efforts to correct it. Vestas-Canadian Wind Technology, Inc. will monitor the performance of the replaced gearboxes.

The agreement with Vestas-Canadian Wind Technology, Inc. provides compensation for lost revenue during the turbine outage. Landowners that are receiving income from the project as a result of the revenue sharing formula will receive their payments once lost revenue calculations are completed.

George Webster, minister of environment, energy & forestry and the minister responsible for the P.E.I. Energy Corporation, says that while the gearbox failures are of concern there is a measure of comfort in that the agreement between Vestas-Canadian Wind Technology, Inc. and the Energy Corporation compensates the province and landowners for lost revenues during turbine outages.

"We look forward to the facility coming back to full output due to the favourable role of wind power on the environment," the minister said while pointing out that the East Point Wind Plant provides Maritime Electric with some of its cheapest energy for Island ratepayers.

The East Point Wind Plant is a 30 MW renewable energy generating facility that is owned and operated by the province through the P.E.I. Energy Corporation. Commissioned in February 2007, the facility has provided more than 90 million kilowatt-hours of emission-free electricity to Islanders. The P.E.I. Energy Corporation also owns and operates a 10.56 MW wind farm at North Cape.