An update for our regional readers and renewable energy enthusiasts: a huge new wind farm has just been approved on the Hay Plains, the vast stretch of NSW countryside that’s known for being the flattest place in the Southern Hemisphere.
According to a recent article published on news.com.au, energy giant AGL has just secured the final tick of approval for a colossal $2 billion wind farm in the Riverina. And colossal really is the word: when completed, the 1300MW project will scatter 247 turbines across more than 1,000 hectares of paddocks, with blades tipping the sky at a staggering 280 metres.
The project sits about 60 kilometres south of Hay, right in the heart of the state’s South West Renewable Energy Zone. Aimed to give our energy grid a major boost, it’ll be plugged directly into the EnergyConnect transmission line currently stitching NSW and South Australia together – and once it’s up and spinning at full capacity, the farm is expected to power roughly 590,000 homes. According to news.com.au, a central 500MW battery will help keep things steady, soaking up surplus energy and smoothing supply during peak demand.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt gave the project the official go-ahead over the weekend, describing the plan as a win for both climate action and the local community. As reported by news.com.au, Watt says the wind farm could slash nearly three million tonnes of carbon emissions each year and spark a major economic boost along the way.
Watt referred to the project as “Clean, cheap and reliable power,” – with the added promise of 900 construction jobs and 50 ongoing roles once the turbines are turning.
Of course, not everyone is cheering. According to news.com.au, Hay Shire Council and Edward River Council are firmly on board – but dozens of locals have voiced concerns about the farm’s visual impact and the broader reliability of renewables. Some submissions paint the turbines as intruders on an iconic landscape; others argue even more bluntly that NSW should “get back to coal-fired power” or consider nuclear alternatives instead.
With 107 renewable energy projects greenlit nationally since 2022, the shift towards renewables looks like progress to us. And debates aside, it’s looking pretty certain that the Riverina may soon be home to one of Australia’s biggest wind farms. Whether you see it as progress, disruption or something in between, it’s a landmark moment for the region.
You can learn more about the project over here.
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