Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners are expected to issue an order by week’s end targeting the dangerous wind farm in the Panhandle that came to their attention on Wednesday.
Commissioners were presented with stunning pictures of damaged and burned wind turbines at the KODE Novus I and II wind farms located south of Guymon next to the state line with Texas.
“There’s wind turbines that straddle both states,” said Brandy Wreath, Director of the Commission’s Public Utilities Division in describing what he called “dangerous and dilapidated” wind turbines.
Wreath told the regulators that the previous owners before the wind farm was acquired by Olympia Renewable Platform LLC had “walked away” from the operation after encountering financial difficulties.
The Commission staff sought the decommissioning of the unrepairable wind turbines to ensure their removal from the site.
Wreath said some of the turbines and their towers appeared so dangerous, he feared they might collapse onto nearby power lines, roads and a hog farm.
“Two are completely burnt to a crisp at the top,” he told commissioners.
Commissioners indicated they will approve an order granting the staff’s request but first wanted to make some revisions in the final order.
Commissioner Dana Murphy expressed concerns about a 10-day deadline as initially proposed by staff.
