The first deliveries of wind turbine components destined for Granville Harbour Wind Farm are set to depart Burnie in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday 2 October.
Over the course of the next six months, 372 Vestas wind turbine components – including blades, tower sections, hubs, drivetrains and nacelles – will be transported 193km on custom-built trailers to the Granville Harbour Wind Farm site near Zeehan.
Granville Harbour Wind Farm Project Director Lyndon Frearson said a huge amount work and meticulous planning had been done to prepare for the long journey to site:
“The movement of such large pieces of equipment is one of the most complex aspects of the entire project. We have been working closely with the Department of State Growth, local emergency services and Council representatives to ensure we perform this task as safely as possible and minimise the impact to the community.”
“Oversize loads will depart Burnie very early in the morning to minimise the disruption to motorists and will be accompanied by escort vehicles to manage traffic along the route.”
“Detailed analysis has been undertaken to determine the best transport route and we have completed minor works – such as pruning, adjusting road signage and bridge upgrades – to ensure all oversize vehicles can safely navigate the various roads and intersections as they travel to site.”
Following a successful trial run earlier this month, Mr Frearson said they were now ready to commence deliveries for the 372 oversize components needed to construct the wind farm’s 31 turbines.
“We have a team of highly experienced truck drivers dedicated to this task. Each wind turbine blade is 62 metres long and weighs almost 14.7 tonnes – so moving these components requires great skill and precision.”
“Safety is our number one priority and we will be taking things slowly and carefully, so some delays are inevitable. We will keep the community informed of our movements and try to minimise any inconvenience.”
“I’d like to thank the community for their incredible support of the project so far and to ask for your patience and understanding while these important deliveries take place.”
The first loads are expected to depart Burnie at around 3am on Wednesday, with one wind turbine blade and one hub scheduled to start the journey approximately 15 minutes apart. The blade trailer will be 67 metres long and is predicted to travel at an average speed of 30 km/hour. This should have the heavy vehicles arriving on site by 11am on the morning of departure.
Mr Frearson said the first deliveries marked a significant milestone for the project and the team was looking forward to erecting the first wind turbine on site in the coming weeks. When installed, each of Granville Harbour Wind Farm’s turbines will be almost 200 metres in height at the blade tip – making these the tallest in Tasmania.
Deliveries will take place from Monday to Saturday, six days of the week, with around four trucks travelling to site most days. No deliveries will occur on Sundays or Public Holidays. Further information including the route map and latest delivery schedule is available on the Granville Harbour Wind Farm website: www.granvilleharbourwindfarm.com.au