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Weather station gathering data ffor wind farm

NaiKun Wind Energy Group Inc. has installed a $2.5-million marine meteorological station in Hecate Strait to measure the wind and waves in the area where it hopes to build a wind farm. The station is equipped with several high-tech instruments to collect data about atmospheric conditions, waves and currents, wind speed and direction, and air and sea temperatures. The company, which received a permit from the Haida Power Authority to set up the station, said it's the first of its kind installed off the west coast of North America NaiKun plans to use the data to identify the best place to put the wind turbines, and other pre-engineering and construction planning. The first phase of the project is a 320 megawatt offshore wind farm in Hecate Strait. Construction is expected to begin in 2009, the company said. NaiKun president Ray Castelli said several BC companies played important roles in developing and installing the meteorological station. Sandwell Engineering of Vancouver helped design the structure and coordinate the installation, while fabrication was handeled by Ramsay Machine Works Ltd. in Sidney. Fraser River Pile and Dredge managed the transportation and installation. In Prince Rupert, Broadwater Industries fabricated the drill platform and Foundex Explorations carried out bore hole extractions for soil sampling. Smit Marine provided tug boat services.