Silver Maple Wind Project Yields 20 MW of Renewable Energy

Industrial & Manufacturing Market

In the spring of 2021, deep within the hills of Clifton, Maine, Cianbro’s Industrial & Manufacturing team was hard at work erecting five 384-foot-tall Vestas wind turbines that would generate 20 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to power roughly 3,500 homes.

Though Cianbro has worked on several similar projects in the past, Silver Maple was unique in that it required pouring the largest wind tower foundation the company has ever completed at 900 cubic yards. In October 2021, the team began pouring the first of five foundations, completing all five by the end of November. Throughout 2021, the team also completed crane roads, pad sites, underground and overhead collectors, and a new switchyard.

In June 2022, the team began accepting delivery of the tower components, erecting the first turbine tower in July. Finishing the fifth tower in August, the project underwent the mechanical completion checklist and Vestas’ commissioning to start running the turbines. The collector substation was also completed, providing necessary backfeed power to the turbines in early August.

“Our partners at Starcon provided key personnel during the erection phase of the project,” says Ben Blodgett, Project Superintendent. “Also, MJ Guyette, QA/QC Manager, did an outstanding job directing her team on a successful installation. The documentation required to develop the turnover books can be overwhelming, and this phase of the project went incredibly smoothly.”