Wind Energy Services Update n
By Cory Verrill
Cianbro Wind Energy Services had a safe and successful 2011 and is looking forward to a busy 2012. Cianbro has put forth a great deal of effort into growing a wind resume and developing relationships within the industry. The company is realizing the benefits of that hard work, acquiring new work such as the recently awarded Groton Wind Farm in Groton, New Hampshire owned by Iberdrola Energy Projects. Cianbro’s scope includes a large site package teamed with strategic earthwork partner Alvin J. Coleman & Son of Conway, New Hampshire. The scope of the project includes installation of 24 rock anchor foundations, construction of the overhead and underground electrical collection systems, construction of an operations and maintenance building, and the installation of a permanent meteorological monitoring tower. Bill Richardson will be the site manager who will work with Project Manager Kaven Philbrook. Project Engineer Lou Campbell has also been asked to assist with project start up. Scott Knowlen, Lauren Lohn and Roger Leach provided key support to a fast start for our strategic earthwork partner. The Operations & Maintenance Building work began this fall and will also continue through the winter. Site clearing and installation of 13 miles of access and crane roads will continue through the winter in preparation for foundation construction which is scheduled to start in April of 2012. Work on the electrical collection system will begin shortly after the foundations are started. Substantial completion of the project is scheduled for September of 2012. On November 15, 2011 Cianbro Wind Energy Services completed one full year without a recordable injury, and congratulated the team members for continuously looking for and eliminating risks from the company’s project sites. During the summer of 2011, Cianbro Wind Energy Services began construction of the Spruce Mountain Project in Woodstock, Maine for Patriot Renewables. The project scope included the erection of ten Gamesa 2 MW turbine units, construction of foundations, installation of underground and overhead electrical collection lines, and construction of an Operation & Maintenance building. Team members Red Webster, Bradley Grillo, Craig Holmquist, Gary Gagnon, Dan McNally, Tom Richter, Jon Sacks, Patti-Lynn Brann, Zach Gardiner, Adam Cristoforo, Nate Baker, Garry Billings, Pat Child, Rod McKay, and Chad Allen have all
helped this project to be successful despite unseasonable weather conditions and the difficult nature of the work. The Transmission
and Distribution group, Bill Noddin from the Estimating group and Ted Swenson from Cianbro Fabrication and Coating Corporation all offered great assistance and helped this project deliver a full package to the client. One of the project’s best accomplishments is the zero recordables to date. Another important component of Cianbro Wind Energy Services is Wind Farm Maintenance. This market is continuing to grow as more wind farms are built. In 2011, Cianbro performed a Vestas blade change-out and assisted Vestas with an up-tower transformer change-out at Kibby Mountain. This fall, the company performed anchor bolt tension inspections at First Wind’s 55 turbine Stetson Mountain site. The success of these maintenance projects has led to opportunities at additional sites with the same clients. Team members Chris Sweetser, Chad Allen, Mike Abbott, Garth Miller, Cory Verrill, Les Vigneault, Dave Perrault, and Derek Hilton performed this maintenance work
with no recordables. Another notable wind farm improvement organized by Chad Allen and Tom Batchelder was the upgrade of Kibby Mountain’s substation for TransCanada. This improved that wind farm’s delivered power quality to the New England grid and to the host utility, Central Maine Power. This work was also performed with no recordables Numerous future opportunities are in the proposal stage for upcoming onshore work and it looks like a busy year for 2012.
C I A N B R O S U M M E R / F A L L C H AT T E R
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