ERA progresses $750m Collgar wind farm

The Economic Regulation Authority has progressed the development of one of the largest wind farms in the country after granting an electricity generation licence to the $750 million Collgar wind farm in the Wheatbelt.

Earlier this year the ERA invited the public to lodge submissions regarding the wind farm and have now granted a 30 year licence to generate electricity for supply into the South West Interconnected Network, 25 kilometres south east of Merredin.

In March, Energy Minister Peter Collier announced that the state government had authorised electricity retailer Synergy to buy power from the planned wind farm over a 15 year period.

At the time Mr Collier said Collgar, which is a joint venture between international specialist banking group Investec Bank and Windlab Systems, which was spun out of the CSIRO in 2003, will increase the total renewable energy generation in the South West Interconnected System from 5 per cent to 8.9 per cent.

"With a total capacity of 206MW, this will be WA's largest renewable energy project," he said.

"This wind farm will ensure we avoid more than 700,000 tonnes of greenhouse emissions going into the atmosphere every year of its operation."

The wind farm will comprise of 111 wind turbines that will generate enough energy to power more than 125,000 homes every year.

Up to 200 jobs will be created during construction phase, with ongoing jobs for up to 20 people once construction is completed, expected by August 2011.

Early works at Collgar started in November and the project has alreday received approval from the Merredin council.