Decmil wins $72m Warradarge contract

Decmil has secured a $72 million contract for balance-of-plant works at the 180-megawatt Warradarge wind farm.

It was awarded the works at the project, located 200 kilometres south of Geraldton, by global sustainable energy solutions company Vestas.

In December, Vestas was awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract, as well as the operations and maintenance contract for the project.

Under the balance of plant contract, Osborne Park-based Decmil will design and construct civil and electrical components related to the balance of plant for the 51-turbine wind farm.

This includes wind turbine bases, 55km of access tracks, site cabling, switch room and substation.

The works will commence immediately and are expected to be completed by September 2020.

Western Power will construct the transmission line from the wind farm sub-station to the network connection point near Eneabba.

The Warradarge project will be funded and developed by Bright Energy Investments (BEI), which is a partnership between Synergy and the private sector launched by the state government in April 2018.

Other BEI projects include the Albany Grasmere wind farm and Greenough River solar farm near Geraldton.

In December, Energy Minister Bill Johnston said construction at Warradarge would start in early 2019 and create up to 200 jobs.

“The wind farm will have a total output of 180 megawatts with a 50 per cent capacity factor - the equivalent of the average annual electricity needs of 135,000 Western Australian homes,” he said.

"The McGowan government remains committed to ensuring a transition to a renewable energy future at the lowest cost possible to WA taxpayers.

"By developing renewables projects, we are demonstrating our commitment to ensuring our state meets its 2020 large-scale renewable energy target obligations."