A crane has been used to move a truck carrying a turbine component en route to the White Rock Wind Farm after it broke down in Glen Innes.
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The incident, which occurred on Monday afternoon, caused major road closures on both Hunter Street and Grafton Road.
Traffic was unable to use the area for over 13 hours.
Glen Innes Severn Council Director of Infrastructure Services, Keith Appleby attended the scene and said the truck broke down while turning at the crest of Grafton Road.
“They had a failure with the truck and we’re just trying to organise traffic control at the moment,” Mr Appleby said.
A second truck was also stuck behind the broken down vehicle, blocking off Hunter Street.
The incident also hindered workers who were left standing around in the heat for most of Monday afternoon trying to sort out the issue.
The trucks were carrying one of among over 800 loads of turbine components which will be required to construct the first stage of the wind farm, travelling from the Port of Newcastle to the project site in Glen Innes.
Goldwind Australia, owners of the White Rock Wind Farm said that for each turbine to be built, 10 oversize loads and 2 normal loads will be required.
The $400 million, 175-megawatt White Rock Wind Farm will be Australia’s largest and initially have 70, 2.5-megawatt turbines, but planning approval has been granted for 119 turbines.
Since haulage began, representatives from White Rock Wind Farm have encouraged people across the region to take a good look at the giant turbine components, however those who found themselves walking past the load in Glen Innes this week have definitely had the closest look of all.
The farm is expected to have the capacity to power about 75,000 homes once fully completed.
The project will be worth about $35 million to the area around Glen Innes during construction.
About 200 jobs will be created during construction and another 10 jobs will be available after construction.
“Not only does this project and the other two projects represent the future in terms of energy generation it also signals the diversification of the Glen Innes and Inverell economies,” Northern Tablelands MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy Adam Marshall told Fairfax Media when the first blades arrived to the region before Christmas.
“These projects are the perfect industry projects because they are energy generation, but they will provide a massive shot in the arm for local economies for years to come,” Mr Marshall said.
