Three Dead in Aftermath of Hai Long Onshore Substation CO2 Leak

September 10, 2024, by Adrijana Buljan

Two people who remained hospitalised after the first person was pronounced dead following the CO2 leak at the Hai Long onshore substation in Taiwan have also passed away, a Hai Long Offshore Wind spokesperson confirmed to offshoreWIND.biz.

On 20 August, several on-site workers at the Hai Long Changhua onshore substation, part of the 1,022 MW Hai Long offshore wind project, were struck down by a leak of carbon dioxide from the fire suppression system. A total of 17 people were rushed to a hospital, with ten discharged soon after with minor injuries and seven workers remaining hospitalised, three in serious condition.

The CO2 accident claimed the life of one of the three people who were severely affected on 26 August. The two other workers have passed since then, a spokesperson for the Hai Long Offshore Wind consortium confirmed to offshoreWIND.biz.

After the CO2 incident was contained on 20 August, all work at the onshore substation was suspended until further notice while investigations were ongoing.

Offshore, the work continued and the first wind turbine jacket foundations were installed.

According to the Hai Long Offshore Wind spokesperson, the project schedule remains unchanged and the 1,022 MW offshore wind farm is still expected to connect to the grid and begin generating power between 2025 and 2026.

The Hai Long offshore site is located approximately 45-70 kilometres off the Changhua coast in the Taiwan Strait.

The entire project comprises two offshore wind farms, the 518 MW Hai Long 2 and the 504 MW Hai Long 3 and is being developed in three phases as Hai Long 2 is further split into two smaller offshore wind farms, the 294 MW Hai Long 2a and the 224 MW Hai Long 2b.

The consortium behind the project comprises Northland Power, Mitsui & Co. and Gentari.