IRASBURG, Vt. -
Around 5:00 pm.m Thursday evening a trailer carrying a 115,000 pound base column for a wind turbine detached from the truck hauling it and rolled off Interstate 91 Southbound in Irasburg near the Orleans exit.
"They were paving and it just he got too far to the edge is what it looks like," said Vermont State Police Sgt. Larry Smith.
Green Mountain Power is trucking parts from Island Pond to Lowell Mountain where it is building 21 turbines on the ridgeline. About 120 truckloads are slated to make the trip through September.
Opponents of the project tried to stop the first shipments from arriving on site in Lowell Monday.
Protesters successfully blocked the road for a couple of hours, but two were arrested.
Back on the interstate , police say speed was not an issue in the rollover. They believe the length of turbine part caused the trailer to flip. The driver was not hurt.
"Currently right now they're in the process of getting a crane here big enough to support that hundred and fifteen thousand pound turbine," said Smith.
As for Green Mountain Power, the company says the truck was following all permit rules traveling with a police escort as required. The turbine part will be inspected for damage. Green Mountain Power says despite the mess, the 156-million dollar project and its deliveries will continue on schedule.
