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« Afternoon press conference follows water emergency | Today | Lawmakers celebrate Greek Independence Day at State House » March 28, 2006State's first major wind turbine erected / Photo Journal photo / Bob Thayer Paul Jestings of Bristol directs workers from the top of the new wind turbine
The 241-foot Danish-made Vestas V47 is the first turbine of its size to be erected in Rhode Island. When it begins operating in the next few days, the windmill will be able to convert the steady breeze off the bay into electricity for the Abbey and its 80-year-old parochial school. Parts have been shipped to the Aquidneck Island community from across the world in recent days. The Abbey’s 15 Benedictine monks approved the purchase of the $1.2-million turbine in 2004, seeing it as a way to offset rising energy costs. The town of Portsmouth issued permits for the machine last March. Parts of the machine started arriving last week. The generator was shipped from Italy, the blades came from Denmark, and the tower was brought from North Dakota on a flat-bed truck. Crews placed the base of the tubular tower in a 26-foot deep foundation last Friday. Its top portion was attached over the weekend. The generator and nosecone went up Monday. The turbine stands 241 feet at its highest point. Rising from a hill on the abbey’s 500-acre campus, it can be seen from miles away. -- Journal Staff Writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Steve Peoples |
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