Source: The Mining Journal
By JOHANNA BOYLE, Journal Staff Writer
December 16, 2008

ISHPEMING - The wind turbine that will power the Pioneer Bluffs Apartments is one step closer to the start of construction.

The bulk of the two truckloads of equipment, which included the long inner and outer shafts of the turbine, arrived in Ishpeming Monday.

"I'm hoping to assemble in January," said Bryan Zaplitny, CEO of MTI Energy Management, the downstate company which designed the turbine. "We're sticking with it," despite predicted cold temperatures.

When fully constructed, the turbine will stand 90 feet above the already-built tower and will feature an 85-foot sphere to house the turbine blades.

Click Read More Below for Exclusive Video

In addition to Monday's deliveries, Zaplitny said four more trucks are expected, with two possibly arriving before Christmas.

One of the next shipments should include the turbine blades, which are being constructed, Zaplitny said. Once installed, the weather will not affect the blades' finish, he said. However, in extremely cold weather, workers will have to be careful during the unloading process when the turbines could be damaged.

Following the installation, the turbine will go through a series of tests, lasting about a month, before the apartment complex can begin to use the power, Zaplitny said.

The turbine will help lower the Pioneer Bluffs energy costs and will keep that energy rate stable for about 15 years, Zaplitny said. The turbine should produce 500,000 to 700,000 kilowatts annually.

Yalmer Mattila Contracting, the Houghton-based company that will be installing the turbine, plans to use a five- or six-person team to complete the assembly, said Jeremy Mattila, equipment operator for the company.

Although the project has been stalled for various reasons over several years, Zaplitny said Yalmer Mattila has been helpful and easy to work with.

"They've just been real good about everything. It instills a lot of faith in the people of the U.P. for sticking with it," he said.