Ballarat Courier
Saturday 21/7/2007 Page: 36
AN APPLICATION for the Pyrenees Shire's third wind farm is before the State Government. Wind farm company Pacific Hydro plans to build the 72-turbine wind farm at Crowlands, south of Landsborough. The company completed its Challicum Hills wind farm nearby at Buangor in 2003.
The Crowlands project will be 140 megawatts in capacity, and is expected to produce more than the residential electricity use of Ballarat and Bendigo combined. The wind farm will add to other wind farms at Lexton and Waubra; while a fourth wind farm has been proposed for Stockyard Hill. The Crowlands Wind Farm application will go directly to a state panel for approval because it is more than 30MW in capacity. The application process is expected to take nine months.
On Tuesday night, the Pyrenees Shire Council resolved to place a submission supporting the project, when the state panel calls for it. Mayor Gabriel Horvat said the council supported the proposal because the community seemed to be in favour. But he was concerned the shire was starting to become blanketed in wind farms. "When the issue of wind farms popped up, we were in favour of wind farms and renewable energy, but what we don't want is the whole shire blanketed with turbines," Cr Horvat said.
"We feel that is starting to happen." Pacific Hydro representative Emily Wood said the project had been in the pipeline for several years and the company was now waiting to hear from the State Government. She said the company appreciated the community's feedback during consultation. "We look forward to making an announcement on the wind farm, to give people an opportunity to view the plan and make submissions," Ms Wood said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment