Wind turbine fire failure: Half Victoria’s turbines without fire suppression

Half Victoria’s 2500 wind turbines have no automatic fire suppression system, according to an Energy Safety Victoria survey.

Two wind turbine fires occured in Victoria in 2023 and 2024, another in NSW (pictured) and two in South Australia.

Half Victoria’s wind turbines have been built without automatic fire suppression systems, according to the state’s energy safety regulator.

Energy Safe Victoria’s survey of the state’s 2500 turbines found 49.5 per cent had not been fitted with systems that could automatically detect a fire in the generator housing (nacelle) and release a gas suppressant to bring it under control.

An ESV spokesman said “all wind turbines currently in construction have automatic fire suppression in the nacelle, (which) is a CFA requirement”.

But it appears ESV does not have the power to force wind turbine operators to retrofit automatic fire suppression systems on the 1240 turbines that don’t have them.

ESV’s general duties of wind farm owners and operators states “where a fire suppression system is not installed in an existing wind turbine generator, the owner and operator should consider whether a retrofit installation would minimise the risk of a fire ignition in the nacelle”.

Wallaloo East CFA volunteer Ben Duxson said the failure to fit automatic fire suppression systems in every wind turbine showed “how reckless the industry is”.

“They can’t build this stuff and put Victoria at risk,” he said.

An ESV spokesman said “the most effective way to avoid fire is prevention, that’s achieved by regular inspection and maintenance.

“All wind turbines have fire extinguishers accessible in the wind turbine when technicians are undertaking maintenance activities.

While wind turbine tower fires are rare, they are almost impossible for fire crews to fight, given the generator housing sits at a height of 150m and contain electrical components that sit alongside 1000 litre oil coolers.

On June 29 last year FRV was called to a wind turbine fire at Cape Nelson South, and called for an additional FRV aerial pumper and three CFA tankers, including a bulk water tanker, for support.

But firefighters reported “the fire was right at the top of the turbine, with one blade having already fallen off and the other two expected to follow”.

“Firefighting activities were considered ineffective, and the fire continued to burn and self-extinguish throughout the night.”

ESV is still investigating the cause of the fire.

Another fire in 2023 at a Yambuk wind farm, west of Port Fairy, was caused by an electrical fault.

South Australia reported turbine fires at Clements Gap Wind Farm in February last year and Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm near Port Lincoln in January 2023, while another occurred at same time in Griffith NSW.

Originally published as Wind turbine fire failure: Half Victoria’s turbines without fire suppression