Industries
Wind turbine crane services
The right crane for the lift, with NCCCO-certified operators and riggers for wind farms. Based in West Texas, working statewide.
Crane service for wind farms
Wind farms need cranes for offloading components, assist lifts, substation work and maintenance. Tell us the lift and we'll bring the right crane.
Lifts we take on include:
- Offloading blades, tower sections and components
- Tailing and assist lifts
- Setting substation and collection equipment
- Lifts for maintenance and repairs
Wind turbine offloading and assist crane lifts
Wind farm crane work starts before erection. Blades, tower sections, nacelles and hubs arrive on long specialized trailers and have to come off at the turbine pad or a laydown yard, often with two cranes sharing the long pieces. During erection, an assist crane tails tower sections and other components from horizontal to vertical while the main crane makes the high pick.
Once turbines are running, crane work shifts to maintenance: blade repairs, component exchanges and parts too big for the turbine's own service hoist. The collection system and substation need cranes too, for pad-mount transformers at the turbines and for breakers, switchgear and other substation equipment. West Texas wind farms sit on open ground, so access roads and crane pads need a check after rain before a crane moves in.
- Get the turbine number, component list and the maker's lift instructions.
- Check the access road and crane pad at that turbine.
- Hold the JSA and agree on wind limits and stop-work calls.
- Rig components with the specified lifting gear and tag lines.
- Make picks in the calmest window, often early in the day.
- Rig down and walk the pad before moving to the next turbine.
Crane and operator for wind farms
Every job goes out with the right crane for the lift, an NCCCO-certified operator and a rigger.
Wind farm lifts depend on the component and the weather, so have these ready when you call dispatch:
- Site name, turbine numbers and access directions
- Component weights, lengths and the maker's lift instructions
- Crane pad and access road condition
- Lifting gear the turbine maker requires, and who supplies it
- Site orientation and wind policy
- Target dates and any weather windows
Rigging plans and safety plans for wind farms
Wind is the hazard behind every wind farm lift. Blades and rotors catch a lot of air, and both the crane's load chart and the turbine maker's instructions set wind limits for each kind of pick, with blade lifts often the strictest. We write rigging plans and safety plans that state those limits, the tag line setup and who calls a stop.
Ground matters too. Turbine crane pads are built to carry a load, but rain, heavy traffic and buried collection cable change what sits under the outriggers. Two-crane offloads and tailing lifts only work when the load is shared as planned, so the plan sets each crane's share and the signals between operators.
Book a crane
Call dispatch or send a lift request. Tell us the load, the location and the date.
FAQ
Questions about wind turbine crane services
What wind speed stops crane lifts at a wind farm?
There is no single number. The crane's load chart and manual set wind limits, and the turbine maker sets its own for each component, with blades and rotors usually the strictest. Wind is checked at height before and during each pick, and whichever limit is lower is the one that counts.
Do you offload wind turbine blades and tower sections?
Yes. Blades and tower sections are long and need careful rigging, often with two cranes sharing the load and the lifting gear the turbine maker specifies, such as blade yokes or tower lifting tools. Send the component weights and lengths, the laydown plan and the route the trailers will take onto the site.
Can you set pad-mount transformers at the turbines?
Yes. Where a project uses pad-mount transformers next to each tower, they are set by crane onto their pads. Send the transformer weight from the nameplate or submittal, the pad locations and the electrical contractor's schedule so the setting order matches the cable work.
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