A wind farm windfall blows through Judith Gap, Montana

Dwarfed by a sprawling complex of huge towers straight out of a sci-fi film, crews are racing winter to complete Montana’s first major wind-power project.

But late last week, gusts of 45 mph brought work to a halt at the Judith Gap Wind Energy Center.

It’s simply too dangerous to be swinging hundred-ton wind turbine pieces from a crane in those conditions.

"This is definitely a good spot for a wind farm," said John Bacon, a wind turbine technician, as a blast kicked up a miniature dust storm at the site 120 miles southeast of Great Falls just off Highway 191.

"It’s kind of ironic, but 25 mile-per-hour wind is the cutoff for lifting a lot of this," Bacon said.

By SONJA LEE
Tribune Staff Writer

Full Story: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051002/NEWS01/510020303/1002