AusNet Services (AusNet) has been appointed by WestWind Energy and TagEnergy to connect the first 756MW stage of Australia’s largest wind farm, the Golden Plains Wind Farm, to the grid, following four years of collaborative effort.
Once both stages are complete, the 1,330MW wind farm in Rokewood, in the southwest of Victoria, will power more than 750,000 homes.
AusNet, along with its construction partner Consolidated Power Projects Australia, will design, build, own and operate the transmission assets for the wind farm, including a new 500kV terminal station, two 500/220kV transformers, a five-kilometre transmission line, and a new 220kV switching station.
Chad Hymas, Chief Development Officer, said AusNet is pleased to be part of this state-significant project that will help create Victorian jobs and support the state’s transition to renewable energy.
“AusNet’s transmission expertise, local knowledge and experience delivering grid connections and transmission assets means we are ideally placed to deliver this supporting infrastructure,” he said.
“We are proud to be working with a number of local partners, including the engineering expertise of Jacobs in Melbourne and control room manufacturer SRS Power in Dandenong South, to drive a more sustainable future for Victoria,” said Mr Hymas.
Since 2017 AusNet has delivered the infrastructure to connect around 2GW of renewables and battery storage to the market.
Detailed design and procurement have commenced, with construction due to commence in early 2023.