Portsmouth turbine abutters complain about noise, flicker

Noise at night ‘is like a jet plane in my backyard,’ resident says

Joan Warren
Posted 5/22/18

PORTSMOUTH — Abutters of the wind turbine on town-owned land at Portsmouth High School finally got a chance last week to collectively complain to the machine’s owner of shadow flicker and …

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Portsmouth turbine abutters complain about noise, flicker

Noise at night ‘is like a jet plane in my backyard,’ resident says

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Abutters of the wind turbine on town-owned land at Portsmouth High School finally got a chance last week to collectively complain to the machine’s owner of shadow flicker and noise that some say has made their lives “unbearable.”

Their comments came at a workshop at Town Hall on Wednesday, May 16, that had been arranged by town officials between abutters and Mark DePasquale, founder and chairman of Wind Energy Development, LLC (WED), which owns the turbine.

Along with an engineer and project manager Hannah Morini, Mr. DePasquale answered concerns from abutters regarding noise and flicker issues, as well as what they perceive as a lack of response from WED to earlier complaints.

The turbine, located on town-owned land at Portsmouth High School, is the second turbine to be erected at this location. The first one was removed after its mechanics failed and was found too costly to repair. The new turbine, which has been running for about 18 months, is taller and with longer blades.

WED did not have a stake in the former turbine and representatives stated on more than one occasion that their charge and agreement with the town is to ensure that the current turbine has no greater impact on surrounding properties than did the old machine. They also stressed that they regularly maintain the turbine and have detailed computer reports on the specifics of its operation.

Abutters: Deaf ears
Residents at the workshop said they feel their complaints are falling on deaf ears and are frustrated with the constant noise and disruption to their daily lives caused by the turbine.

David Souza of Lowell Drive said the noise has gotten louder since the new turbine went up and has increased exponentially since repairs were made recently.

“It’s been making more noise than ever,” Mr. Souza said. “It’s been a racket and I have called and informed you. It frustrates me that you can’t make a phone call back. There is a thump, swoosh, thump, swoosh. The noise at night is crazy; it’s like a jet plane in my backyard.”

Repairs were made to the turbine in recent weeks after it was believed that lightning strikes may have impacted the blades. “The thumping noise could be from the repairs, one blade in particular,” Mr. DePasquale said.

Mr. Sousa also said he feels a vibration from the turbine. He was assured by Mr. DePasquale that the foundation should not be vibrating at all.

Peter Roberts, a Portsmouth resident although not an abutter to the turbine, commented on the differences between the first turbine and the existing one.

“This one is much higher and covers more area; the blades are longer. The flicker changes location and is affecting other people now,” he said.

Mark Jones of Education Lane said he’s had issues with the new turbine but at the request of his 88-year-old mother, he chose not to complain in the past. Lately, however, the conditions have been so intense Mr. Jones said he could no longer remain silent.

“I let this go, I let this go, I let this go. I have eye issues and the flicker is so bad I can’t watch TV. I have to go lay down and take an Ibuprofen or leave the house. The old tower didn’t bother me, but now I hear noise, especially at night. It’s a royal pain in the butt,” he said.

Mr. Depasquale said that he would personally come to the homes of those who spoke and try and mitigate the issues, wherever possible.

Denise Wilkey, of East Main Road, said she complained about the first turbine to members of the Town Council but her concerns were never addressed.

“I have done my research and there has been a lot of smoke and mirrors to sell your product. Putting turbines in a neighborhood is never good. Green energy is good, but not near houses,” she said.

Tina Reynolds, of Lowell Drive, said she can’t sit out on her deck because of the shadow flicker.

Mr. Depasquale said there is a wind turbine in his North Kingstown neighborhood and there have been no complaints.

Next steps
After hearing testimony from neighbors for more than two hours, Mr. DePasquale said he and his team will convene and make a plan to address the issues.
First, they will inspect the blades and then pick homes to conduct noise studies performed by an outside third-party company, he said.

They’ll also check for vibration issues and meet with residents to evaluate individual situations to look for mitigation solutions, he said.Residents were encouraged to send WED data with detailed information so officials can assess what may be causing the issues.

After the meeting, Mr. Souza said he’s heard it all before and that it remains to be seen if anything will be done to address abutters’ complaints.

Portsmouth wind turbine, Wind Energy Development

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