WA Transmission Line
West Australian Premier Colin Barnett has vowed that the Neerabup to Three Springs Transmission line will proceed despite concerns on cost.

Stage 1 of the 330kV transmission line would be from Neerabup to Three Springs, enabling the connection of the mid-west mining projects.

Stage 2 of the 330kV transmission line would be from Eneabba to Moonyoonooka (Geraldton).

Once the power line is completed some of the proposed windfarms that may connect to the transmission line include:

• Verve Energy’s 90MW Mumbida project (and stage 2),
• Badgingarra windfarm 130MW   (Emu Downs 2),
• PacHydro’s 100MW Nilgen windfarm, and the planned
• Infigen Energy’s Walkaway windfarm stage 2 & 3 expansions totalling up to 400MW.

Welcome Back! We hope you had a good break.

Salt Creek Wind Farm
Preliminary works on a wind farm at Woorndoo VIC will begin in March, despite Moyne Shire Council denying its extension application in November.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) granted NewEn the extension permit at a hearing last month, after councillors told the proponent it needed to resubmit its application to meet the shire’s policy for major energy projects.

The Salt Creek wind farm, 25 kilometres north of Mortlake, now has until March 15 to break soil and until 2015 to finish construction, with regular meetings taking place with the Moyne Shire.

Eden Wind Farm
The NSW government has drafted guidelines that could throw a spanner in the works for all developers in NSW, including Epuron who is seeking approval to build a $19.5million wind farm in Eden.

Under a proposal by premier Barry O’Farrell, there would be an exclusion zone where residents within two kilometres of a proposed wind turbine could effectively put the skids on the project.

Woolnorth Wind Farm
Hydro Tasmania has sold a 75 per cent share in its Woolnorth wind farms to a Chinese investment firm. Guohua Energy Investment will pay $88.6 million for the majority stake.

Hydro’s Roaring 40s joint venture with China Light and Power was wound up last financial year and Hydro took ownership of the two wind farms at Woolnorth in the state’s north-west. Guohua also has an exclusive six-month window to negotiate a share in Hydro’s $400 million Musselroe wind farm project.