Hull Wind II, a 1.8-megawatt wind turbine operated by the Hull Municipal Light Plant (HMLP), has been demolished.
The turbine, manufactured by Vestas, was commissioned in May 2006 and was built atop the town’s partially capped landfill.
The adaptive re-use of this location was a landmark move that required detailed engineering, analysis and regulatory approval.
This site was selected in large part due to its acceptability to residents, the greater height it offered, and a convenient connection to the power grid.
It featured a hub height of 67 meters and a rotor diameter of 80 meters. In 2023, prior to coming offline, Hull Wind II operated at a capacity factor of 24%, and provided 7% of the energy needs for customers of Hull Light.
According to light plant records, Hull Wind II produced over 4,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of power in its first year, enough energy to power approximately 800 homes on an annual basis. Despite sitting high upon Hull’s gateway, replacement parts have become obsolete, contributing to the decision to decommission the turbine.
The turbine’s removal follows the February 2024 removal of Hull Wind I. Hull Wind I, which reached commercial operation in 2001, was a smaller Vestas turbine at 660 kilowatts, a hub height of 50 meters and a rotor diameter of 47 meters, located on Windmill Point.
Its early success helped spur the interest in building Hull Wind II. In 2021, before coming offline, Hull Wind I operated at a 31% capacity factor and provided 4% of the community’s energy needs. In the wake of decommissioning both Hull Wind I & II, Hull Municipal Light Plant and the Light Board look forward to developing new initiatives and partnerships to enhance energy services.
Due to the timing and location of Hull Wind II, and for safety reasons, the date and time of demolition was not publicized prior to removal.
HMLP is a municipally owned utility, owned by its customers, and has been in operation since 1894. It is HMLP’s goal to do everything possible to ensure that it provides safe, superior service. The Municipal Lighting Plant is governed by an elected Board of Commissioners which holds public meetings on a monthly basis.
