Hancock and Winnebago counties have seen increased traffic since last December as crews and trucks bearing heavy equipment began arriving in Crystal Lake for the start of a new Florida Light and Power (FPL) 100-turbine wind farm.

Now, almost six months later the fruit of their labor is obvious to everyone. Although wind turbine components have been arriving by truck the last few months, May 9th was the first day crews began erecting the towers. Foundation work began in December and was finished earlier this spring.

"Our goal is to get at least two topped out per day," said Lance Ginn, of FPL Energy. But sometimes, on good days without wind, the crews can finish four towers.

The tower comes in three sections, each lifted by crane and bolted to the foundation and to the section below it.

Next, the nacelle, weighing approximately 130,000 pounds, and the 74,000 pound rotor are hoisted, or flown, into the air and bolted to the top of the tower - hence the term "topping off."

With pieces of structure that big and that heavy any wind over 30 miles-per-hour creates unsafe working conditions Ginn said.

Last Wednesday the tower erection process began in earnest. "To be more productive there are two crews on site," Ginn said. Each crew is equipped with two large top-out cranes and two smaller cranes, which are used to assemble the rotor and erect the base and mid sections of the tower.

By the end of last Wednesday nine towers had been topped off and electrical crews began connecting all the cables inside each tower.

Ginn said the cable work usually takes about a day to complete, then he starts the inspection process.

"My sole responsibility on site is the tower installation," Ginn said. One of his responsibilities is climbing to the top of each tower to inspect all the connections and check the nacelle and rotor for proper installation and any signs of wear. These first turbines are expected to be programmed by June 2.

While the towers were going up near Crystal Lake Ginn said foundation work began last week for Phase 2, the installation of 80 Clipper towers near Forest City in Winnebago County.

Ginn said another 100 to 125 people would be showing up in the next few weeks to work on Phase 2 and the first Clipper turbines should be seen around the week of June 23.

Work on the transmission line, that will connect the Crystal Lake wind project to the power plant near Mason City, is scheduled to begin soon. Once it is connected the new wind turbines can start generating and sending electricity in September.