Prokon trains technicians from Finland

Working at lofty heights is routine for Prokon teams – however, a gearbox replacement is uncharted territory for Eddie Kronholm (20) and Conny Nymark. The plant technicians from Pros Finland were in Germany to learn, step by step, how to replace major components. Training location: the Prokon wind farm Hakenstedt III in Saxony-Anhalt; one of the five Vestas V80 turbines needed a new gearbox, and the duo was accompanying the operation under supervision.

Precision work with heavy-duty cranes

Together with Tobias Wolff, Head of the Major Component Repair Department at Prokon, the two Finns planned the procedure. A powerful heavy-duty crane was needed for the gearbox replacement – supported by a smaller auxiliary crane, which was required to assemble its "big brother" in the first place.

The old 16-tonne gearbox was dismantled using special hydraulic tools. It was a team effort carried out with millimetre precision: three technicians worked in the nacelle at the top, while two to three other colleagues received the components below and secured them for further transport.

Training with a future advantage

For Kronholm and Nymark, the experience in Germany is more than just a job: they are gaining valuable service skills that give them a competitive edge back in Finland.

"Wind power is still a relatively new business for us," explains Kronholm. The next training sessions in Germany are already planned – this time focusing on the replacement of rotor blades and generators. "They weigh up to 95 tonnes!" he says with a smile.

Whether it's a gearbox, rotor blade or generator – replacing major components in wind farms requires precision, teamwork and strong nerves. For the Prokon teams, it’s exactly this combination that makes service work in the wind energy sector an exciting and fulfilling job. Learn more about the Pros:

Change of the gearbox

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