Climate Changed
Harvey Set to Overpower Wind in State Generating the Most
- From 2.1 to 3.6 gigawatts of wind power facing shutoff threat
- If hurricane hovers, power could be affected for a week
Assessing the Impact of Hurricane Harvey
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One of the worst things that can happen to a wind farm is too much wind.
Hurricane Harvey was packing top winds of 115 miles (185 kilometers) an hour on Saturday, according to a National Hurricane Center advisory. That’s more than twice the 55 miles-an-hour speed that prompts many turbines to shut off. The result: The storm could knock out between 2.1 and 3.6 gigawatts of power near the Texas coast, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.