First Alstom turbine shipment planned

photo Machinist Brian Higdon works on a turbine component on a horizontal lathe Monday at the Chattanooga Alstom plant.
photo Alstom employees are inside one of the large production bays at the company's new Chattanooga plant. Contributed photo by Doug Barnette

Alstom Power's new production plant in Chattanooga next week will ship its first turbine by barge, according to the company.

Plans are to load up the turbine on a barge and ship it via the Tennessee River to its location on Monday, said Tim Brown, Alstom's communications director for North America.

It's the second big unit made at the Riverfront Parkway plant to be shipped. Earlier this year, a 160-ton replacement rotor for a turbine at a nuclear power plant was sent to the northern United States, according to Alstom.

France-based Alstom officially opened the local plant in June 2010 next to an existing facility. The plant employs over 200 people and officials are eventually eyeing a headcount of about 350 workers.

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