DMV News Releases

Virginia Agencies Collaborate for Superload Move
Effort Ultimately Supports More Jobs and Cleaner Energy

RICHMOND - More than a dozen public and private organizations including the Virginia Department of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles and Virginia State Police are working together in an unprecedented effort to move a 1.3-million-pound piece of equipment through the Commonwealth to the new Dominion Virginia Power Hybrid Energy Center in St. Paul, Virginia. More than 1,800 workers are currently involved with the center's construction. When it opens in 2012, the center will employ 75 people and support approximately 350 mining and trucking industry jobs.

"A study conducted by Virginia Tech for Wise County estimates the annual economic impacts of the new center to be more than $400 million," stated Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton. "The effort to transport this equipment to support the energy center is an extraordinary example of public/private partnerships and government collaboration for the good of the community."

The dimensions of the superload, being moved by Barnhart Crane and Rigging, are 17 feet, 3 inches high; 22 feet, 3 inches wide; and 265 feet, 5 inches long; and approximately 640 tons. The 75-mile planned route approved by VDOT for which DMV issued the hauling permit is 58 East from the Tennessee line to Alternate 58, 23 Business, 23 Bypass Norton, Alternate 58, 58 Bypass Coeburn, 58 East. The rig is being escorted by Virginia State Police Troopers, Barnhart trucks, utility bucket trucks, and various VDOT vehicles. The rig will move eight to ten miles per hour, only between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.; however, movement was suspended on July 2 until the evening of July 5 due to the July 4 holiday. The move, which started in Virginia on Thursday, June 24, 2010, is slated for completion today, July 7.

"The move is a carefully orchestrated event involving collaboration from state agencies, law enforcement, localities, utilities, traffic control organizations, railway companies and more," said DMV Commissioner Richard D. Holcomb. "While a big job, this colossal undertaking ultimately supports more jobs for Virginia."

"The Virginia City project reaches a significant milepost with this equipment's arrival. It is one of the last major pieces of equipment needed to complete the project's construction," said Mark Mitchell, director of fossil and hydro projects for Dominion. "We are very thankful for the cooperation and assistance of the state and local agencies, regional utilities and all others who made the transportation of this equipment possible."

The cargo is a stator, which is a large fixed part of the generator, weighing 795,869 pounds or nearly 400 tons. The stator, designed to produce 670 megawatts of electricity, was made by Toshiba in Japan, shipped to Port Allen, Louisiana, and barged to Knoxville, Tennessee. Barnhart Crane and Rigging company specializes in hauling heavy equipment.

To see pictures of the move, visit www.transportation.virginia.gov. (Note: Pictures are hosted on Flickr.com. To save images, right click and "save picture as" into an e-file.)

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