A wind farm was hit by a hurricane for the first time in the history of the burgeoning U.S. wind industry, but now it is back producing power, according to its owner, German power company E.ON (OTCPK:EONGY).
Harvey slammed the Papalote Creek Wind Farm near Corpus Christi, Tex., last Friday but E.ON says one section of the onshore wind farm was producing electricity yesterday and expects the other to be back online today.
E.ON says Papalote Creek came through the storm "really well," and the delay in restarting was mostly because area power lines were damaged.
Papalote Creek has total of 196 turbines - made by Vestas Wind Systems (OTCPK:VWDRY) and Siemens (OTCPK:SIEGY) - and can generate 380 MW.
Although the wind farm did not bear the full brunt of the Category 2 hurricane - sustained winds reached 90 MPH, the equivalent of a Cat 1 - the storm offered the first major test of how U.S. wind power installations, which now provide ~6% of U.S. electricity, hold up in hurricane-force winds.
