August 2, 2012
Australia

South Australian local council rejects 123MW TRUenergy wind farm

Oliver Wagg in Brisbane | Recharge | www.rechargenews.com 2 August 2012

A local council in South Australia throws out TRUenergy’s plans to build a 123MW wind farm in the state’s mid-north, the first time a wind project has been rejected at this level under legislation passed last year.

After an extraordinary meeting lasting almost six hours, Goyder Council’s Development Assessment Panel rejected TruEnergy’s proposed Stony Gap wind farm based on noise-related health concerns.

The company, a subsidiary of China Light & Power, lodged the planning application in February.

A TruEnergy spokesperson says the company is disappointed its application has been rejected and is now considering its options. The company can appeal to the Environment, Resources and Development Court.

TRUenergy will be allowed to retain an 81-metre temporary wind monitoring mast in the area until the end of 2014.

SA is fast becoming Australia’s leading renewable energy generator, with three major wind developers recently revealing plans to add more than 1GW of capacity by 2015. Twenty-six per cent of electricity is now now generated by wind.

[Click here to download the Goyder CDAP minutes of Wednesday, 1st August 2012.]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/02/south-australian-local-council-rejects-123mw-truenergy-wind-farm/