Giant generator stirs curiosity

It's been described as everything from a monster to a Trojan Horse with thousands of little green Martians hiding inside, but the nearly 2 million-pound behemoth sitting on the side of the Aiken bypass Monday is part of an electric generator headed for a Duke Energy Plant near Boiling Springs, N.C.

The generator, made by the Japanese company Toshiba, was shipped overseas earlier in the month, coming ashore in the United States more than a week ago in Purryburg. It was then placed on two hydraulic trailers for its move to North Carolina.

Arriving in Aiken over the weekend as scheduled, the generator will spend about eight days in the area as transportation permits are updated and maintenance is performed.

The heavy equipment is tough on the trailers' many wheels, which will be replaced locally, officials said.

After the stay in Aiken, the generator will head around the Aiken bypass, where it entered from U.S. 78, and travel north along U.S. 1

The electric generator is a major part needed for the construction of a coal-fired facility at the Cliffside Steam Station in Cleveland and Rutherford counties, N.C.

The addition to the facility should be up and running by 2012, said Andy Thompson, a spokesperson for Duke Energy.

The load consists of a power generator and transport rig weighing 1.89 million pounds and is being transported on two multi-wheeled hydraulic trailers at a speed of between 5 mph and 20 mph.

The total length of the load is about 300 feet.

The full move is anticipated to take up to 30 days.

Duke Energy contracted with Mammoet, which specializes in moving heavy equipment.

Thus far, South Carolina Department of Transportation officials have not received any complaints about the move.

State law authorizes the SCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit (OSOW) office, at its discretion, to issue permits for vehicles and loads that exceed legal size and/or weight limits.

SCDOT defines "superload" as a load and transport with a combined weight of more than 130,000 pounds.

Contact Karen Daily at kdaily@aikenstandard.com.