Why is the wind turbine at Exhibition Place sometimes turned off?
Why is the wind turbine at Exhibition Place sometimes turned off, even on the windiest days?—Stephen Straker, Leslieville
Toronto Hydro won’t divulge exactly how often the wind turbine is at a standstill but offers several explanations as to why the blades are occasionally inert. If the gusts of wind coming in off the lake are too strong, the turbine is designed to shut down, as turning too fast would damage the machinery (wind conditions on the ground can be very different from those 30 storeys up). When it turns off, a technician needs to pay a visit to push the restart button (located inside the base). Also, because it’s pumping electricity into the grid (albeit only enough to supply 250 houses), it has to be taken off-line when work is being done on power lines in the area.
