Fabricators Join Forces For Wind Tower Project

03 October 2007

Wind towers at Codrington Wind Farm in Victoria, made from XLERPLATE® steel

Two major Australian fabricators have joined forces to construct wind towers for Waubra Wind Farm near Ballarat in Victoria.

Acciona Energy, reportedly the world's largest wind farm developer and builder, commissioned Victorian based Keppel Prince Engineering and Tasmanian based Haywards Steel Fabrication and Construction to fabricate 62 towers (31 each) for Stage 1 of the project at Waubra, 35 kilometres north west of Ballarat. Stage 2 of the project, involving 66 towers, is also expected to be shared by the companies.

"Sharing contracts allows us to be competitive on a global scale, and keep work in Australia," Haywards Managing Director Steve Edmunds said. "Working together on this project means we have open lines of communication, particularly for technical queries.

"We receive the same drawings so if there's a welding issue we will let each other know, andwork together with Acciona Energy to resolve it."

The drawings have been finalised through Acciona Energy's head office in Spain, with each tower 69.5 metres high, 4.3 metres in diameter at the bottom, and 2.35 metres in diameter at the top.

"We will fabricate the tower structures, and fit them out with electrical cables, switchboards and technology products supplied by Acciona Energy," Keppel Prince Engineering Managing Director Steve Garner said. "The towers will also have a one man lift instead of stairs."

"We have ordered 3,100 tonnes of XLERPLATE® steel through Smorgon Steel, and will start fabrication in late September." Both companies plan to complete two wind towers a week.

"We'll have up to 45 workers involved in the project," Mr Edmunds said. "We're ordering a modified Grade 350 XLERPLATE® steel through OneSteel and will be supplied according to our rate of production."

"A staggered steel supply is essential for a project of this size, and a major advantage of ordering quality, Australian made steel."

BlueScope Steel is also competitively priced, according to Keppel Prince Engineering's Steve Garner.

"If we bought overseas steel, we'd have to pay a lump sum upfront, but ordering local steel allows our payments to coincide with our deliveries," he said.