Turbine spill shuts road
A heavy goods lorry spilled a 106-tonne turbine on Wednesday blocking a major road in Dumfriesshire.
The A75 was shut for more than eight hours following the incident which happened shortly before 11am.
The vehicle carrying the turbine went on to the grass verge near Kinmount between Dumfries and Annan.
Police confirmed the road was opened at around 7pm on Wednesday.
The lorry’s rear trailer went off the road as it travelled west towards Dumfries.
The sheer weight of the turbine meant it sank into the ground and became stuck, leaving a difficult recovery operation.
Diversions were put in place via the B7020 to Lochmaben, and the A709 back towards Dumfries.
Meanwhile, more than 30 turbines arrived at Airtricity’s Dalswinton and Minsca windfarms.
Both windfarms are expected to supply green energy to more than 40,000 homes and mitigate the release of around 165,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Alan Baker, chief executive of Airtricity in Scotland said: “The arrival of 31 turbines at our Dalswinton and Minsca developments is an important stage in the construction of windfarms that we expect to be in operation and producing green electricity by early next year.
“Airtricity has been working with the local community and Dumfries and Galloway Council throughout the construction process for both wind farms and will continue to do so.
He added: “The Dalswinton and Minsca windfarms, together with our other windfarm projects already operating and in the pipeline in Scotland, will help the Scottish Government meet the challenges of climate change and its target of 40 per cent electricity generated by renewables by 2020.”
Both windfarms should be operational in early 2008.
9 November 2007
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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