First Wind is reporting construction milestones and local economic benefits from the company's 60 MW Rollins wind project in Penobscot County, Maine. Construction is nearing completion, with 34 of the 40 GE 1.5 MW turbines installed at the project site situated in the towns of Lincoln, Burlington, Lee, Winn and Mattawamkeag.
As part of the construction and development activities for the project, more than $29 million has been spent directly with 97 Maine-based businesses. As construction nears completion, there are still about 175 workers on the project site, but during peak construction, the site supported an average of 200 jobs each day.
Over 500 different contract workers have logged more than 200,000 hours on the project site, which has averaged 200 workers during peak construction. In addition to the 34 of the 40 turbines already installed, significant progress has been made on the project's necessary transmission and infrastructure, including the construction of a 5,000 square-foot operations and maintenance building, according to the company.
When the project is completed and online, First Wind will have 185 MW of capacity in Maine, with three other projects in the state.
SOURCE: First Wind