Renewables Energy Projects Update Report – 23rd December 2022 From Mel
Read about the current projects happening or proposed in our area from Mel Zerner:
REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
RENEWABLES ENERGY PROJECTS UPDATE REPORT – 31 AUGUST 2022
NOTE: New Project Added To The Report – see 7 WHYTE YARCOWIE WIND FARM
As reported on the ECBAT Website here…
1 NEOEN – GOYDER RENEWABLES ZONE
Stage 1,2 & 3 – South of Burra & north of Robertstown near World’s End & Bright. Neoen are the Developers, Owners & Operators of the project & are now commencing South Stage 1A & 1B for the construction of approximately 75 wind turbines in the hills between Burra & Robertstown and Koonoona Road. Goyder South Stage 1 has received development approval for total of 1200 MW of wind generation, 600 MW of solar generation and 900 MW of battery storage capacity making it the state’s largest renewable project.
There are 2 companies who are Consortium Partners with Neoen & are overseeing the project:
- GE Renewable Energy who will be supplying & installing the wind turbines & commissioning the windfarm control system. GE Renewable Energy is a division of GE focusing on production of energy from renewable resources.
- Green Light who will be: 1) designing & supplying all wind farm civil infrastructure (foundations, roads & buildings) 2) design & supply all wind farm civil electrical infrastructure (33kv cables, earthing, communications, wind farm control system) & 3) Design, supply & commission HV substation and overhead power line. Green Light is a wholly owned subsidiary of Elecnor and who are specialists in the integrated management of infrastructure projects.
A site office has been constructed on Springbank Road between Burra & Robertstown. Neoen hosted South Australia’s Premier, Peter Malinauskas, and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis at the project site on 25 August 2022. In December 2022, Neoen announced that it had signed 70MW renewable energy baseload contract with BHP to supply power to its Olympic Dam operations from July 2025. Additional information is available on the Goyder Energy News website at the following link: https://goyderenergy.com.au/
The major contractor, Greenlight, has commenced the rental of approximately 9 houses in the Burra & Farrell Flat areas for their management staff and GE Renewable Energy will be renting accommodation for its staff from February 2023. The civil contractor, Lucas, has been renting some accommodation and is also looking at other accommodation options in the Burra region.
2 ELECTRANET PROJECT ENERGY CONNECT – INTERCONNECTOR
From the Robertstown Power Substation to the SA/NSW border. Electranet are managing the construction of the transmission line & power substations for the project & the section between Robertstown & Morgan is of particular interest to the local community. The power transmission line is being constructed by Downers & other substation work will be undertaken by Consolidated Power Projects at Robertstown substation and a new smaller substation at Bundey about 12 kms from the Robertstown substation.
Construction on the project has commenced in May 2022 starting on the SA/NSW border & moving west back to Robertstown. Downer have obtained approval from the Mid-Murray Council for camp accommodation for approx 170 workers in Morgan for the final stages of the power transmission line commencing in mid-2023. Consolidated Power Projects and Enerven will be employing approximately 50 workers on the power substation work and have commenced in October 2022. So far, they are using approximately 8 properties for accommodation in the Robertstown, Eudunda & surrounding areas as well as other accommodation in Morgan, Taylorville & Kapunda. Additional workers will require local accommodation from February 2023.
3 SA WATER – MORGAN WHYALLA PIPELINE RENEWAL
SA Water announced on 10 January 2022, that they are planning to replace sections of the Morgan Whyalla pipeline commencing in March 2022. The pipeline is a 358 kilometre long, above ground pipeline that was constructed in the 1940’s for the transfer of bulk water supplies to the Iron Triangle cities of Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla and supply to the Mid North, Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula water distribution networks.
SA Water, together with contractors, McConnell Dowell Diona Joint Venture are planning to replace up to 34 kilometres of the pipeline and most of this replacement will be occurring on the section between Morgan and Burra. The sections being replaced will be constructed adjacent to the existing pipeline and will remain above ground.
SA Water have advised that they are interested in connecting with local businesses who may be able to provide opportunities during construction for accommodation, catering and other services. They have been provided with various contractor & accommodation information in the Morgan, Robertstown & Eudunda regions. Due to additional environmental consultation requirements, construction is now only expected to commence in early 2023.
4 FILM – “THE NEW BOY”
A film crew and actors arrived in Burra in late October 2022 for a period of 6-8 weeks for the filming of “The New Boy” which stars Cate Blanchett. It is estimated that approximately 50 staff were accommodated in Burra & surrounding areas over this period mainly in the tourist market of Bnb accommodation. This also generated additional revenue for the food & hotel businesses in Burra over this period.
5 OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS
The other Renewable Energy projects in the region are ongoing and in various planning stages and will be reported on in future reports. These are: EPS Energy/AMP Energy – Robertstown Solar, Zen Energy – Solar River Project, Green Gold Energy – Australia Plains Solar Farm, Renewable Energy Systems – Twin Creek Wind Farm and Wind Prospect – Whyte Yarcowie Wind Farm.
LOCAL ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS
The Regional Council of Goyder councilors & staff, the Burra Community Association, Eudunda Community Business & Tourism Committee (ECBAT), the Robertstown & District Community & Management Committee & the Mid-Murray Council are ensuring that the maximum possible impact & interaction is gained from these projects in the local communities from Burra to Eudunda & Morgan by connecting the contractors of each project to the local labour force, accommodation & food providers & other businesses. This is being done as a community service project with Mel Zerner, a former local Eudunda resident, voluntarily assisting Goyder Council & the other community groups in this initiative.
Mel is in regular contact with the key owners or employees of all of the above projects to obtain status reports and then respond to their local requirements as required.
If you have any questions on the status of the any of the above projects or local requirements or want to include your accommodation, labour or local business services on the registers, please contact Mel on Mobile 0418 852 353.
