Wind farm swings into action as turbines go up

Plains Producer
Wednesday 23/4/2008 Page: 13

UP TO six turbines a week will be added to the Barunga Range skyline from the end of this month as construction of a 47 turbine wind farm gears up. However, a commitment to future expansion of the project is yet to be made. Developers Trust Power and Wind Prospect recently announced a decision to boost construction to 47 turbines, but have approval to construct up to 130 turbines on the Barunga Range site. Trust Power major project manager, Deion Campbell, assured stage two would be considered in due course.

However, he said the first stage was continuing to progress, with the second turbine lifted into place early last week, and a third last Friday. The lower half of 16 of the remaining towers are also in place. Mr Campbell said the wind farm was currently running to schedule, but would soon speed up. "We're expecting a second large crane to arrive on site sometime before the end of the month," he said. "From there, we should be able to put four to six machines up a week."

He expects all turbines to be erected and operational by September. Each machine is commissioned as it is completed, with the first commissioned last December. Individual turbines weigh 270 tonnes, and stand at 124 metres tall. The wind farm, which stretches across 17 kilometres of the Barunga Range near Snowtown, is expected to generate $1 million each year for the local community.