Willmar wind turbine out of service, awaiting repairs

WILLMAR -- One of Willmar Municipal Utilities' two wind turbines is out of service until repairs can be made, a utility spokesman said Wednesday. The turbines are located just north of Willmar Senior High School.

On July 1, technicians from turbine manufacturer DeWind were dispatched to investigate an alarm that indicated communication failure in the hub of the north turbine, said Wes Hompe, staff electrical engineer with the Willmar Municipal Utilities.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the computer in the hub had become dislodged and was damaged. The spare parts required to repair this were ordered, but due to the long holiday weekend, did not arrive until Tuesday. Repairs started Tuesday and the turbine should be back on line by Friday or Saturday, according to Hompe.