The Lake Victoria Wind Farm is one step closer to fruition, with the New South Wales Government signing a lease agreement with WestWind Energy to facilitate the development on Crown land in the state’s southwest.
WestWind Energy aims to construct the wind farm, consisting of up to 201 turbines, over a two to three year period from 2029 to 2032, subject to planning approvals and community consultation.
The New South Wales Government said the project has an estimated capital expenditure of $3.8 billion and will have an installed capacity of up to about 1000MW with an annual energy production of approximately 3400GWh, capable of powering up to 700,000 homes.
The project will also include up to three battery energy storage systems with a total of 1500MWh hours storage to provide a more secure and consistent supply of electricity.
The State Government said the proposed Lake Victoria Wind Farm could support up to 375 jobs during construction and up to 70 ongoing jobs once completed to maintain the infrastructure and manage ongoing operations of the facility.
Crown Lands has negotiated the agreement for a special purpose lease which would provide WestWind Energy with an initial 25-year lease with two seven-year options to extend the lease a further 14 years.
The lease agreement allows WestWind Energy to progress planning for its proposed Lake Victoria Wind Farm, which would be located about 30km north-west of Wentworth, near the Victorian border.
The project is listed on the NSW Planning website to be assessed as a State Significant Development once a development application is lodged.
New South Wales Minister for Lands and Property, Steve Kamper, said the Lake Victoria Wind Farm proposal has the potential to deliver major economic investment, well paid regional jobs and more green energy for the state.
“The Lake Victoria Wind Farm is a significant clean energy initiative that can play a vital role in powering our economy for generations to come.
“The rental income will be reinvested into the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund to provide grants to maintain and improve Crown reserves across the state, such as regional showgrounds, war memorials and community sporting grounds.”
