Thurston Machine now supplying to Ontario wind energy industry
by Canadian Manufactruing Daily Staff
Will provide parts for two wind farms in Chatham-Kent.
TORONTO: Port Colborne-based Thurston Machine is now building components for two wind energy projects in the province.
The company, which specializes in the production of mining, locomotive and steel equipment, has recently branched out into the clean energy sector and has been chosen by International Power to provide parts for its Erieau and East Lake St. Clair wind farms.
“Thurston Machine’s strength has always been the flexibility of handling a diverse range of projects. Our plan to get involved in the renewable energy sector weighed heavily into our decision to move forward with our recently completed expansion, which will ultimately create an additional 20 jobs,” said Mark Yallin, division manager, Thurston Machine.
Established in 1915, Thurston Machine employs 80 workers and operates a 70,000 square-foot facility with production space for fabricating, welding, machining, painting, assembling and testing.
The Erieau and East Lake St. Clair wind farms will have 55 wind turbines each and will each produce 99 megawatts (MW) of energy.
Construction on both projects began in early 2012 and will be completed by the end of the year. International Power anticipates commercial operation by 2013. Both projects will supply power to the Ontario energy grid under the feed-in-tariff (FIT) program.
“International Power is proud to be part of the Erieau Wind and East Lake St.Clair Wind projects. Both of these projects will not only capitalize on the vast wind resources in Chatham-Kent they will contribute to creating cleaner air and moving the province’s clean energy mandate,” said Michael Crawley, president and CEO, International Power.
