Gamesa declined to comment on specifics saying accountability falls entirely on utility Iberdrola, which is both the owner and provider of operation and maintenance (O&M) at El Tablado.
An Iberdrola spokesman told Windpower Monthly that the plant was exposed to gales of over 200 km/hour, far in excess of the G47's top operating speed of 90 km/hour.
Pending investigation results, Iberdrola believes excess winds to be the cause of the fall.
The plant had been shut down and evacuated of all personnel for safety reasons hours before the 45m-high turbine --one of 30 G47 machines making up El Tablado -- came crashing to the ground on February 6.
The G47, now discontinued, was Gamesa's workhorse turbine until the early 2000s. In December last year, DNV GL certified Gamesa's 10-year life extension programme for the G47.
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