Council cites cumulative impacts, not convinced of benefits as Valley of the Winds approved by NSW 

The NSW Independent Planning Commission has signed off on the Valley of the Winds Wind Farm, clearing the way for up to 131 wind turbines to be built 40km north of Gulgong in the state’s Central West.

The decision follows more than 50 public objections submitted to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure during its project assessment. Warrumbungle Shire Council formally objected to the proposal, with Mayor Kathryn Rindfleish saying the council is disappointed by the decision.

“We see a lack of understanding toward the cumulative impacts that will be felt by the community of Coolah and surrounding areas,” she said.

Developed by ACEN Australia Pty Ltd, the project is expected to contribute to the NSW government’s renewable energy targets and net-zero ambitions. Located within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, the project will include a 943 megawatt wind farm and a 320MW/640MWh battery storage system (BESS), generating enough electricity to [equal what what is used by] about 519,000 homes annually. The BESS will store renewable energy for dispatch into the grid, helping to improve energy reliability and grid stability.

The three-member Commission Panel, comprising Richard Pearson, Suellen Fitzgerald and Sarah Dinning, met with key stakeholders, conducted a site inspection and locality tour, and held a public meeting where they heard from 33 speakers and received 58 written submissions.

In its statement of reasons, the commission found the site suitable for renewable energy development, citing its position within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone transmission line, available wind resources, design that avoids major environmental constraints, and access to the regional road network.

The Commission considered the concerns raised by community members relating to visual impacts, aerial firefighting and agriculture, biodiversity, traffic and transport, socio-economic impacts, decommissioning and rehabilitation, water resources and the cumulative effects of this and other nearby developments.

In response, it imposed conditions of consent that require the proponent to: Council objected to the project out of concern for those cumulative impacts, says Mayor Rindfleish.

“Mitigation measures have not been implemented, and our concern for driver road safety on the Golden Highway is high,” she said. “The changes in types and numbers of traffic on the local roads will have a huge impact on everyday people using these routes, as well as the addition of increased pressures on both community services available and local infrastructure.”

Warrumbungle Shire Council general manager Lindsay Mason said the local community faced massive disturbance and change arising from the eleven REZ projects to be located, at least in part, in the shire.

“The environmental, social and economic costs are staring us in the face, [and] we’re yet to be convinced of the benefits,” he said. “The state government has been derelict in its planning duties by not conducting up-front cumulative impact studies to identify actions that can be implemented to alleviate the pressures of cumulative impacts from all these projects on local and regional infrastructure and services.”