from two ready-mix lorries
Viking Energy Wind Farm has passed a new milestone with the pouring of concrete on the first wind turbine base.
In an all-day operation on Monday a fleet of ready-mix lorries delivered the required 700 cubic metres of concrete to pump into the base of turbine K84 on the Mid Kame hills.
The concrete came from two batching plants set up nearby in the North Compound, south of Voe, each of which can mix 50 cubic metres an hour. Eight ready-mix lorries carried the concrete up to the turbine site via the new road junction at Hamarigrind.
With concrete pours set to be ongoing every few days over the coming months, drivers are advised to be prepared for meeting slow-moving vehicles joining and leaving this stretch of the A970, which is a 40mph zone.
SSE Renewables spokesman Aaron Priest said: “This is literally a concrete landmark for the Viking project. The logistics ran like clockwork and the teams from RJ McLeod and its sub-contractors have done a tremendous job. Now they just have to repeat their skill and precision another 102 times!”
Shetland contractors and suppliers are playing a key part in wind farm construction. The concreting operation involved two ready-mix lorries from Garriock Bros and high-grade aggregates from the company’s quarry at Vatster.
The turret at the top of the base will be concreted next week, leaving just the connecting bolts showing. Once the concrete has cured, the base is backfilled with materials excavated from the site, ready for the turbine tower to be installed. The Vestas turbines will arrive on site for erection in early 2023.
Viking Energy Wind Farm is on course to go into renewable energy production in late 2024. It is expected to be the most productive onshore wind farm in the UK.