Mayor hopes wind farm is step closer

Launceston Examiner
Monday 28/4/2008 Page: 11

THE advertising of a planning application for the proposed $350 million Musselroe Wind Farm was a welcome sign that the project was proceeding, Dorset Mayor Peter Partridge said. Roaring 40s has applied for an alternate route for its transmission line, to avoid the Martins Hill Forest Reserve. Notice of the application was advertised in The Examiner on Saturday. Cr Partridge said that Roaring 40s had been in discussion with Dorset Council planners and councillors would debate the merits of the application once all requirements had been fulfilled.

"The alternate route probably involves some private landowners so there'll have to be consultation on their behalf," he said. "Since the Labor Party came to power (federally) there's been an indication that this project would proceed. "Now we're starting to get some action, which is great." The application seeks approval for construction of a high voltage 110kV transmission line in a 50m-wide easement.

It is proposed that the easement would run from south of Clarence Dam, in the Cameron Regional Reserve, to between Rex Rd and Blanca Link Rd, Winnaleah. The transmission line would connect the proposed Musselroe Wind Farm at Cape Portland to the State's electricity grid at the Derby substation. It is understood that the Labor Party's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target of 20 per cent by 2020 gave Roaring 40s the impetus to proceed with the development.

The Musselroe project accounts for only 0.1 per cent of the 45,000 gigawatt-hours anticipated to be produced by 2020. Roaring 40s gained approval for up to 80 turbines from Dorset Council in 2004. It is understood that these would generate 140MW into the State's grid - more than the Woolnorth project in the far North-West, which generates 125MW. It would be more than enough power to provide electricity to 140,000 homes.

The project is expected to take two and a half years to finish, employ a peak workforce of 120 and pump between $50 million and $80 million into the Northern Tasmanian economy. No other development applications have been submitted for more wind farms across the State, but it is understood that Roaring 40s staff are investigating a range of options. Roaring 40s also has two 50MW wind farms operating in China, with nine more under construction.