Read the full stored bill text
House
File
2284
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
2284
BY
GOLDING
,
THOMPSON
,
LARSON
,
and
THOMSON
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
wind
turbine
inspections,
and
providing
1
penalties.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
TLSB
6148YH
(3)
91
sb/js
H.F.
2284
Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
476.53B
Wind
turbine
inspections.
1
1.
The
purpose
of
this
section
is
to
establish
routine
2
inspection
requirements
for
wind
turbines
in
Iowa
to
ensure
the
3
safety,
efficiency,
and
compliance
with
state
standards.
These
4
measures
aim
to
prevent
accidents,
protect
public
safety,
and
5
promote
responsible
renewable
energy
generation
in
the
state.
6
2.
As
used
in
this
section:
7
a.
“Inspection”
means
a
systematic
process
of
evaluating
8
the
condition
of
a
wind
turbine,
including
its
structural,
9
mechanical,
and
electrical
components.
10
b.
“Qualified
inspector”
means
a
professional
who
meets
11
training,
experience,
and
examination
standards
in
the
field
of
12
wind
turbine
inspection
and
maintenance.
13
c.
“Wind
turbine”
means
a
mechanical
device
that
converts
14
the
kinetic
energy
from
wind
into
electricity
and
has
a
15
nameplate
generating
capacity
greater
than
one
hundred
16
kilowatts.
17
3.
a.
All
wind
turbines
in
Iowa
shall
be
inspected
by
a
18
qualified
inspector
at
least
once
every
twelve
months.
The
19
inspection
must
include
a
detailed
assessment
of
the
wind
20
turbine’s
structural,
mechanical,
electrical,
and
safety
21
systems,
including
all
the
following:
22
(1)
Blade
condition
and
wear.
23
(2)
Tower
integrity.
24
(3)
Gearbox
and
electrical
components.
25
(4)
Safety
features,
including
brakes
and
emergency
26
shut-off
systems.
27
(5)
Maintenance
history.
28
b.
In
the
event
of
any
significant
operational
anomaly,
29
safety
concern,
or
after
extreme
weather
events,
including
30
lightning,
an
additional
inspection
shall
be
conducted
within
31
seventy-two
hours
of
the
event
by
a
qualified
inspector.
32
c.
Within
thirty
days
of
each
inspection
required
under
33
paragraph
“a”
or
“b”
,
the
wind
turbine
operator
must
submit
a
34
wind
turbine
inspection
report
to
the
commission.
The
report
35
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2284
must
include
all
of
the
following:
1
(1)
Findings
of
the
inspection,
including
any
deficiencies
2
or
necessary
repairs.
3
(2)
Documentation
of
any
corrective
actions
taken
or
plans
4
to
address
deficiencies.
5
(3)
Certification
of
compliance
with
applicable
state
and
6
federal
safety
standards.
7
d.
If
any
safety
concerns
are
identified
during
the
8
inspection,
the
wind
turbine
operator
must
halt
operation
of
9
the
wind
turbine
and
correct
any
issues
within
ninety
days
10
after
the
submission
of
the
inspection
report.
If
correction
11
of
the
issues
requires
more
than
ninety
days,
the
operator
must
12
submit
a
detailed
timeline
and
plan
for
the
resolution
of
the
13
issues
to
the
commission.
14
4.
a.
A
wind
turbine
operator
who
fails
to
conduct
an
15
inspection
required
under
subsection
3
shall
be
subject
to
a
16
civil
penalty
of
no
more
than
five
thousand
dollars
per
turbine
17
per
inspection
period.
18
b.
A
wind
turbine
operator
who
fails
to
submit
an
inspection
19
report
to
the
commission
within
thirty
days
of
an
inspection,
20
as
required
under
subsection
3,
paragraph
“c”
,
shall
be
subject
21
to
a
civil
penalty
of
no
more
than
two
thousand
dollars.
22
c.
A
wind
turbine
operator
in
violation
of
subsection
3,
23
paragraph
“d”
,
is
subject
to
a
civil
penalty
of
up
to
ten
24
thousand
dollars
per
turbine.
25
d.
A
wind
turbine
operator
who
repeatedly
fails
to
comply
26
with
the
inspection
and
maintenance
requirements
under
27
subsection
3
is
subject
to
increased
penalties
or
suspension
of
28
operation
of
any
noncompliant
wind
turbines
at
the
discretion
29
of
the
commission.
30
5.
a.
The
commission
shall
be
responsible
for
the
31
administration
and
enforcement
of
this
section,
including
32
the
inspection
frequency,
compliance
reporting,
and
penalty
33
assessments.
34
b.
The
commission
may
conduct
random
audits
of
wind
turbine
35
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inspections
and
reports
to
verify
compliance.
1
c.
The
commission
shall
maintain
a
public
database
of
wind
2
turbine
inspections,
including
inspection
dates,
findings,
3
corrective
actions,
and
compliance
status.
4
6.
This
section
applies
to
all
wind
turbine
operators
5
and
wind
energy
conversion
facilities,
as
defined
in
section
6
476C.1,
within
the
state
of
Iowa.
7
EXPLANATION
8
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
9
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
10
This
bill
relates
to
wind
turbine
inspections.
11
The
bill
creates
a
new
Code
section
with
the
purpose
of
12
establishing
routine
inspection
requirements
for
wind
turbines
13
to
ensure
safety,
efficiency,
and
compliance
with
state
14
standards
in
order
to
prevent
accidents,
protect
public
safety,
15
and
promote
responsible
renewable
energy
generation.
16
The
bill
requires
all
wind
turbines
in
the
state
to
be
17
inspected
by
a
qualified
inspector
at
least
once
every
18
12
months.
The
inspection
must
include
an
assessment
of
19
structural,
mechanical,
electrical,
and
safety
systems.
The
20
bill
also
requires
an
additional
inspection
within
72
hours
21
following
a
significant
operational
anomaly,
safety
concern,
or
22
extreme
weather
event,
including
lightning.
23
The
bill
requires
a
wind
turbine
operator
to
submit
an
24
inspection
report
to
the
Iowa
utilities
commission
(commission)
25
within
30
days
of
each
required
inspection.
The
report
must
26
include
the
findings
of
the
inspection,
documentation
of
27
corrective
actions
taken
or
planned,
and
certification
of
28
compliance
with
applicable
state
and
federal
safety
standards.
29
If
an
inspection
identifies
safety
concerns,
the
bill
requires
30
the
operator
to
halt
operation
of
the
wind
turbine
and
to
31
correct
the
issues
within
90
days
after
submission
of
the
32
inspection
report.
If
correction
will
require
more
than
90
33
days,
the
operator
must
submit
a
detailed
timeline
and
plan
for
34
resolving
the
issues
to
the
commission.
35
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6148YH
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2284
The
bill
establishes
civil
penalties
for
noncompliance
with
1
inspection
requirements.
An
operator
who
fails
to
conduct
2
a
required
inspection
is
subject
to
a
civil
penalty
of
up
3
to
$5,000
per
turbine
per
inspection
period.
An
operator
4
who
fails
to
timely
submit
an
inspection
report
is
subject
5
to
a
civil
penalty
of
up
to
$2,000.
An
operator
who
fails
6
to
properly
address
identified
safety
concerns
is
subject
7
to
a
civil
penalty
of
up
to
$10,000
per
turbine.
The
bill
8
further
authorizes
increased
penalties
or
suspension
of
turbine
9
operation
for
repeated
violations,
at
the
discretion
of
the
10
commission.
11
The
bill
authorizes
the
commission
to
administer
and
12
enforce
the
bill,
including
oversight
of
inspection
frequency,
13
reporting
compliance,
and
penalty
assessments.
The
bill
14
authorizes
the
commission
to
conduct
random
audits
of
15
inspection
reports
to
verify
compliance
and
requires
the
16
commission
to
maintain
a
public
database
containing
wind
17
turbine
inspection
information.
18
The
bill
provides
that
the
inspection
and
enforcement
19
requirements
apply
to
all
wind
turbine
operators
and
wind
20
energy
conversion
facilities
within
the
state.
21
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4