Third wind farm on the cards for Hallett Hill

Burra Broadcaster
Thursday 13/3/2008 Page: 3

AGL Energy Limited announced last week that it has acquired the development rights for a third wind farm to possibly be built near Mt Bryan. If construction goes ahead, the new site, located just 15 kilometres from the Brown Hill and Hallett Hill wind farms, is expected to have a total capacity of 90 megawatts. AGL managing director Michael Fraser said that if construction proceeds, the Hallett Three wind farm could take AGL's total number of wind turbines in the state up to 164, with a combined capacity of 345 megawatts by 2010.

"The proposed Hallett Three wind farm will comprise around 30 turbines, with an installed capacity of up to 90 megawatts," Mr Fraser said. "When fully operational we anticipate that it will generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 43,000 average Australian households and avoid up to 265,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year." The plans to develop a new wind farm come after the construction of Hallett Two at Hallett Hill, commenced late last year.

Currently in the initial stages, AGL has said the third wind farm would consist of wind generators, an underground electrical cable network, access tracks, hardstandings, wind monitoring masts, a switchgear building and yard, and a section of export powerline to a local connection point along the regional transmission system. The company plan to undergo an extensive consultation process with local residents, interest groups, cultural groups and natural resource management organisations before development gets the go-ahead.

`AGL's wind farm sites are all first-class wind resources," Mr Fraser said. `At an advantage of eight to nine metres per second, the Hallett Three site has an excellent wind speed compared with AGL's nearby sites at Hallett One and Two. "Considering the current and proposed projects, AGL will retain the flexibility to either fund the development balance sheet or pursue a structured sale similar to that undertaken for the original Hallett One wind farm." Member for Stuart, Graham Gunn, said the construction of a third wind farm for the region is a step forward.

"I think it is a very good thing for our region and our state," he said. "It will create local employment during the construction period, and then they'll also need people to maintain the wind farm once construction is complete." Mr Gunn also said having alternative energy sources is good for the state. "The wind farms provide another source of energy for South Australia," he said. "Obviously, they bring another element in our energy capacity.

"It is good because with the wind farms, we're not putting as much pressure on the power stations such as the ones in Port Augusta and Torrens Island." And while AGL do not anticipate a final decision on the outcome of the proposed Hallett Three wind farm project until later in the year, Mr Gunn said he is looking forward to hopefully adding to the regions' wind farms. "I'm looking forward to it being completed," he said.