Wind Energy

Vestas wind turbines going up

The schedule calls for the installation of the last two tower sections, the nacelle and the wind turbine’s three giant blades over a one- to two-day period in the middle of next week.

Recently, the first tower section was put in place. A second tower section is scheduled for installation between now and next week’s final construction. All of the installation schedules are tentative based on anticipated wind conditions at the tower site.

When fully installed, the wind turbine will rise about 300 feet. Vestas hopes to start drawing electricity from the tower in May.

The four tower sections were made at Vestas’ new Pueblo tower plant. The giant blades and 80-ton nacelle housing the turbine’s mechanics recently were shipped to the U.S. from Vestas plants in Europe and are scheduled to arrive by truck in Pueblo this week.

A large crane used to install the tower already is on wind farm. The mega-crane was shipped in pieces for assembly at the site. The shipment took 26 truckloads.

A second support crane — used to help stabilize the pieces as they are lifted — is set to arrive in coming days.

Corey Mullen of Portland, Ore., the Vestas project manager overseeing the turbine project, said the giant windmill will feed electricity directly to the nearby Vestas plant through underground lines.

A 250-foot high meteorological tower recently installed at the site will provide weather data as part of Vestas’ plan to use the new low-wind V100-1.8 MW turbine in its wind energy research, he said.

www.vestas.com

By Dennis Darrow, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo., www.chieftain.com