Host landholders will make an income from the new wind farm, WestWind Energy says. Photo: stock
The NSW Government and WestWind Energy Pty Ltd have signed a lease agreement for a new $3.8 billion wind farm to be built on state land in south-west NSW.
WestWind Energy wants to build a 201-turbine wind farm at Lake Victoria, Wentworth, which could take up to three years.
The project’s potential to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions is estimated at more than 2.2 million tonnes, the company says.
Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper says the Lake Victoria Wind Farm proposal has the potential to deliver major economic investment, well paid regional jobs and more green energy for NSW.
“The Lake Victoria Wind Farm is a significant clean energy initiative that can play a vital role in powering our economy for generations to come,” he says.
“The rental income will be reinvested into the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund to provide grants to maintain and improve Crown reserves across the state, such as regional showgrounds, war memorials and community sporting grounds.”
According to the government, the farm would have an installed capacity of up to about 1000 megawatts with an annual output of about 3400 gigawatt-hours, capable of powering up to 700,000 homes.
The project will also include up to three battery energy storage systems (with a total of 1500 megawatt hours storage) to provide a more secure supply.
The government says the proposed Lake Victoria Wind Farm could support up to 375 jobs during construction and up to 70 ongoing jobs once completed.
Crown Lands says it negotiated the agreement for a special purpose lease which would provide WestWind Energy with an initial 25-year lease with two seven-year options thereby extending the lease to 39 years.
Under the lease deal, the wind farm would be located on 41,669 hectares of grazing and crop land about 30 kilometres north-west of Wentworth near the Victorian border.
The company says all host landholders will benefit from an annual income and from all-weather access roads that would need to be built.
The life of such projects is estimated at 25-35 years, the company says.
The project is listed on the NSW Planning website for assessment as a State Significant Development once a development application is lodged.
