The Shire of Harvey has backed a proposal for an electrical switchyard to export renewable power from the upcoming $150 million solar farm in Benger.
The Shire of Harvey has backed a proposal for an electrical switchyard to export renewable power from the upcoming $150 million solar farm in Benger.
GHD urban planner Hide Shigeyoshi lodged the $12 million application on behalf of SE Campbell Development, under renewable energy developer South Energy.
Dubbed the KEREN switchyard, the Kemerton Renewable Energy Node Switchyard is the third development application lodged by South Energy as part of the 100 mW solar farm off Campbell Road in Wellesley.
The Shire of Harvey supported the proposed switchyard, recommending the Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel approves the application at its upcoming meeting.
The JDAP approved the $150 million Benger solar farm application in 2019, which aims to supply renewable electricity to about 35,000 homes.
South Energy is proposing to construct the KEREN switchyard to export power generation to the Kemerton Strategic Industrial Area commercial clients once the Benger solar farm is built.
However, the shire’s responsible authority report said the proposed electrical output generated by the Benger solar farm was “far greater” than the capacity of commercial systems.
“The switchyard will supply power, first to tenant(s) within the KSIA in a micro grid setup, before exporting the remaining power to the South West Interconnected System,” the report said.
The development comprises of a 22 kV switch room, control room, two transformers, a capacitor bank, ten battery hubs, two station service transformers, 14 disconnector switches and eight dead tank circuit breakers.
Each battery hub includes 16 batteries, four grid forming inverter units, a power plant controller panel, two control and auxiliary panels, and a transformer.
The Benger solar farm is expected to start operating in 2024 with the power purchase agreement currently under discussion with interested parties.
The proposal site, owned by WA Land Authority trading as DevelopmentWA, is 135 km south of Perth.
