Brazil’s power regulator, Aneel, has ordered the suspension of operations at the Capão do Inglês wind farm in Rio Grande do Sul after a fire destroyed part of a wind turbine owned by Axia Energia.
On Thursday, September 10, the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) officially suspended the operation of a generation unit owned by Axia Energia. The measure was taken following an incident that severely damaged equipment at the Capão do Inglês wind farm, located in the municipality of Santana do Livramento.
The fire affected unit AG04, a 2 MW capacity structure. The damage was extensive, destroying the nacelle, critical internal components, and the blades of the turbine, which was manufactured by Siemens Gamesa. The incident raises immediate concerns regarding operational safety and asset resilience in the wind energy sector.
Investigation into the cause of the incident
Although operations have been suspended, Axia Energia informed the regulator that the event was unexpected. According to the company, monitoring systems did not record any technical failures, electrical fluctuations, or thermal anomalies that could have served as a warning for a potential fire.
Based on a careful analysis of operational data, electrical and thermal metrics, and the entire history of preventive maintenance, it was not possible to identify any prior anomalies that signaled the risk of this incident.
Due to the sudden nature of the fire, the exact cause of the short circuit or ignition remains under technical investigation. The company emphasized that it manages the plant’s maintenance and operation, maintaining a support contract with Siemens Gamesa, the manufacturer of the G114 model used at the wind farm.
Recovery timeline and sector impact
Capão do Inglês has a total capacity of 10 MW, distributed across five wind turbines. With unit AG04 offline, the plant will operate at reduced capacity for a significant period. Axia Energia has already begun the process of recovering the asset, projecting a return to service within up to 36 months.
This incident serves as a wake-up call for the renewable energy market regarding the ongoing importance of safety protocols. In the long term, the results of the technical investigation will be crucial for the industry to improve risk detection in wind turbines and prevent similar failures at other Brazilian wind farms.
