March 10, 2013
Australia

White Rock Wind Farm seeks modification

By Kerrin Thomas | Updated Sun Mar 10, 2013 | ABC News | www.abc.net.au

Inverell Shire Council says proposed modifications to the White Rock Wind Farm development, between Inverell and Glen Innes, are welcome.

The proponent wants approval for an alternative power line route, claiming it will improve the efficiency of the wind farm.

It says the proposed change will allow power to be supplied to an extra 60,000 homes.

Council’s Manager of Development Services, Anthony Alliston, says the impact on surrounding areas is unlikely to be greatly increased.

“Looking at the application, there’s not a significant additional impact on any dwellings on the location, because of the location of the proposed transmission line there are an additional five properties that will become part of the project,” he said.

“In terms of impact on any dwellings that aren’t part of the project [the changes] will have minimal impacts.”

Anthony Alliston says the modification isn’t a significant change to the proposal.

“They’re proposing a power line to connect to Transgrid’s 330kW transmissions line which will increase the efficiencies of the wind farm,” he said.

“The councillors’ view is that the modification, in terms of output, means rather than 130,000 houses being supplied with power, it’ll be 193,000.”

Proponent, Eupron, says its role is to provide ‘shovel-ready’ developments to retailers.

The company’s Construction Manager, Andrew Wilson, says no date’s been fixed to start work on the White Rock Wind Farm.

He says construction normally occurs when there’s demand from energy retailers for renewable power.

“Those sorts of organisations are constantly reviewing their portfolio of possible projects and we’re very much dependent on our customers, the people who will eventually own and operate the wind farms,” he said.

“The demand for renewable energy is driven primarily by the renewable energy target which is legislated and which requires electricity retailers to buy a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources like wind farms.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/10/white-rock-wind-farm-seeks-modification/