Offshore wind turbine fire reported at Ørsted farm in Taiwan

A wind turbine at the Ørsted Greater Changhua Northwest Offshore Wind Farm caught fire in the early hours of August 8, marking the first reported fire incident at an offshore wind farm in Taiwan.

According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs Energy Administration, a turbine malfunctioned at approximately 3:29 AM, triggering an automatic shutdown. The fire began around 5:00 AM and was extinguished by 6:30 AM. There were no casualties as no personnel were on-site during the early morning hours. The damaged turbine has been isolated from the power system, while other turbines in the farm continue to operate normally.

Local community leaders in Hanbao Village, Fangyuan Township, expressed concerns regarding the lack of transparency and immediate notification provided to residents following the incident. There are also worries regarding potential environmental impacts from debris or smoke affecting local aquaculture. Ørsted is currently working with turbine supplier Siemens Gamesa to investigate the cause of the fire and develop a repair plan.