The first shipment of wind turbine components, destined for a wind farm project outside Dorion have arrived at Keefer Terminal.
The first of three shipments arrived from Denmark on Saturday. The pieces for the first 15 turbines were being unloaded Tuesday. Generators weighing 87 tons each were moved with the help of a special mobile crane brought in from Toronto. The turbine blades are 145 feet long and are being unloaded and temporarily stored at the terminal. The turbine shafts are being trucked directly to the site from the United States. Port Authority CEO Tim Heney said the shipments will keep the port busy for weeks to come.
Heney said each of the three shipments will mean $100,000 in economic benefits to the local economy. The first truckload is expected to leave the terminal next week. Construction on the 43-turbine Greenwhich Wind Farm project north of Dorion is being carried out by Renewable Energy Systems.
The project is expected to create 300 construction jobs and $75,000 in annual municipal tax revenues for the township.
