Toronto-headquartered power producer Northland Power Inc. has confirmed that at approximately 10:00 am local time on August 20, 2024, an incident occurred at the Hai Long Changhua onshore substation, part of its offshore wind project in Taiwan. According to Northland Power, while the details of the incident remain under investigation, the preliminary information available cited a leak of carbon dioxide from the fire suppression system, which affected approximately 17 on-site workers.
As it is reported by the company, emergency services were immediately notified, and first aid measures were promptly administered on-site.
“The affected individuals were quickly transported to nearby hospitals, where they are currently receiving emergency treatment,” the company said in a statement on August 20.
The incident has been contained, and all work at the onshore substation is suspended until further notice while investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the project team is fully cooperating with local authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.
“The safety and well-being of our employees and partners remain our top priority,” said John Brace, executive chair. “Our current focus is on the well-being of the affected workers and their families. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as more information becomes available.”
Located approximately 45-70 kilometers off the Changhua coast in the Taiwan Strait, Hai Long consists of two phases, Hai Long 2 and Hai Long 3, with an expected combined generating capacity of 1,022 MW.
Once operational, Hai Long will be one the largest offshore wind facilities in Asia, powering more than one million Taiwanese households and industrial facilities.
Source: Northland Power Inc.
