Cedar Springs Wind Farm

Cedar Springs Wind Farm

Cedar Springs Wind Farm is an onshore wind-generating plant originally commissioned in 2020. Located in Casper, WY, the site is owned by NextEra Energy and is expected to provide a capacity of nearly 400 MW once its fourth phase of development is completed. However, a wind turbine on the site recently suffered a catastrophic failure when one of its blades collided with the tower. Because of this, NextEra engaged Champion to assist with removing the turbine and helping to reclaim the area so development could proceed.

The Champion Challenge

The tower had folded in three locations creating tension and spring-loading the metal. The base section was still vertical to a height of approximately 40 feet with two 90-degree bends that made the tower’s top section impact the ground. Executive Lead David Sweeny and Project Manager Tommy Schmidt worked together to drop the tower safely and cut and demolish all scrap steel and fiberglass debris as a team. Several relief cuts were made to relieve the metal tension in order to raze the tower to the ground.

The environmental technician, Matt Miller, was instrumental in supporting the demolition work as well as providing the expertise to clean the site properly and remove the contaminated soils.

Collaborating On a Critical Task

The Champion team was onsite between July 31, 2023 and August 20, 2023. By the end of the project, the team had cleared away and cut up all components, removed impacted soil contamination, and restored the area. Champion executed their work to the task schedule, overcoming weather-related delays early on in the project. The logistical support for the project from sub-contracted vendors created some difficulties for Champion working in such a remote location, but the mitigation plans for the challenges allowed the team to complete the clean-up on time while exceeding expectations.