Gas, wind farms to be sold

Courier Mail
Saturday 11/8/2007 Page: 69

THE State Government has put Enertrade's gas business and five wind farms on the market to help fund its proposed $300 million Queensland Climate Change Fund.

State-owned power generators Stanwell and Tarong own the wind farms, with Stanwell holding the Windy Hill farm near Ravenshoe in north Queensland, another operation at Toora in Victoria and 50 percent of Emu Downs, 200km north of Perth in Western Australia. Tarong owns the Starfish Hill on the Fleurieu Peninsula and the Mount Millar wind farm on the Eyre Peninsula, both in South Australia.

Enertrade's gas business includes the North Queensland Gas Pipeline that transports coal seam gas from Moranbah to Townsville and a right to build another line, from Moranbah to Gladstone. Enertrade's gas business also includes the Moranbah gas processing plant and a portfolio of gas purchase, transport and supply contracts.

The wind farms are likely to be attractive to the likes of Babcock and Brown Wind Partners and other alternative energy suppliers while APA Group will no doubt look at the existing pipeline and the Gladstone right of way. Expressions of interest in Enertrade are due in early September and final bids will be required by late October.

The Government said yesterday the opportunity to build the Central Queensland Gas Pipeline could be sold with Enertrade's merchant gas business or with its other pipeline.