POTSDAM – The Village of Potsdam’s West Dam hydro project has run into another snag, this time over defective turbine blades.

Village Administrator David Fenton said Friday that the blades, imported from Italy, showed air pockets in the stainless steel castings as they were being milled for installation.

The air pockets cast doubt on the strength and durability of the blades, which were to go into the turbine that would generate electrical power from the flow of the Raquette River.

“The village is currently working with Orengine International to have the blades recast,” Fenton said, which could result in a delay of several weeks.

Fenton said waiting for fresh castings might not delay the project, already years behind schedule, as much as it might have since spring runoff is making the river’s flow too strong to effect installation until the flow recedes somewhat, Fenton said.

The project ran into trouble as parts from a Canadian contractor failed to appear on time, putting the project back a couple of years while the contractor, who had been paid for the parts, tried to make good on the deal.