March 4, 2014
Australia

Wind farm proponent cuts turbine numbers

ABC News | 04 March 2014 | www.abc.net.au

The company behind a proposed $700 million wind farm on the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges has lodged a development application with the Mid Murray Council.

Trustpower Australia announced plans for a 130-turbine wind farm at Palmer, north-west of Mannum, in September last year.

Business development manager Rodney Ahern says it has decided to reduce the number of turbines to 114, after a period of public consultation.

“We’ve removed a number of turbines and we’re relocating quite a lot of the remaining turbines,” he said.

“We’ve had three information days and a couple of rounds of workshops and we had good participation in those and got some pretty valuable feedback.”

Trustpower will also make ongoing payments to about 50 neighbouring landowners for being, what it calls, “good wind farm neighbours”.

“Anyone who has a property within one-kilometre of a turbine or a house within two would potentially qualify,” Mr Ahern said.

“The vast majority are considering the offer or have agreed to sign up to it.”

The Mid Murray Council’s development assessment panel will consider the application in the next few months.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/04/wind-farm-proponent-cuts-turbine-numbers/