SOLAR INSTALLATIONS
As the PV arrays and ground-mount structure were lifted and pried off their supports, these objects became wind-borne debris that impacted other ground-mounted arrays. The successive failure of many of the PV rows in Phase 2 demonstrates the devastating effects of components that begin to fail and add wind-borne debris impacts to systems already pushed to the limit of failure from wind pressures. As a result, some areas of Phase 2 contained only a small number of panels in their original positions (Figure 6-8).
Figure 6-8: Reden solar array in Humacao: Aerial view of the Phase 2 Array with most PV panels removed from their ground-mount supports and many structural members damaged.
6.1.2
Oriana Solar Array 1
Oriana Solar Array 1 is in northwestern Puerto Rico near Isabela, approximately 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the coast and was constructed in 20161. The PV panels at Oriana Solar Array 1 experienced lower wind speeds of approximately 90 mph (145 kph) at 33 feet (10 meters) above ground over flat open terrain (Figure 1-2 and Figure 1-7) and appeared to have a more robust structural support system than the Reden array in Humacao. Overall, this array demonstrated far less damage than the Reden site (Figure 6-9). For a typical ground-mount structure, approximately 10 percent of the solar panels were damaged or removed.
1
Oriana Solar Array 2 is located approximately 1.4 miles (2 kilometers) north of Oriana Solar Array 1, but the MAT did not visit this site. Post-Maria NOAA imagery suggests Array 2 was considerably less damaged than Array 1.
6-6
MITIGATION ASSESSMENT TEAM REPORT
HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA IN PUERTO RICO