Construction begins for 30-MW wind park in Victoria

Construction has officially started on the 30-MW Kiata wind project in the Australian state of Victoria, project developer Windlab Ltd said on Wednesday.

The AUD-75-million (USD 57.4m/EUR 53m) wind farm is planned to go online before Christmas and to produce as much power as over 20,000 Victorian homes need annually.

Windlab announced financial close for the project in the fourth quarter of 2016, with UK-based infrastructure investor John Laing Group Plc (LON:JLG) securing a roughly 72% stake. The local community also has an interest in the project alongside the two companies.

The park will use the V126-3.45 MW turbine by Vestas Wind Systems A/S (CPH:VWS) of Denmark, towers from Keppel Prince at Portland, Victoria, and transformers from Wilson Transformer in Melbourne. Vestas confirmed that is has received an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) order in November.

Ground broken at Kiata Wind Farm; @SimonCorbell @RogerJPrice @Windlab pic.twitter.com/aJ4lAOZ0sh

— Rob Fisher (@RobFisherCBR) March 21, 2017

Kiata and the 66-MW Mt Gellibrand wind project by Acciona SA (BME:ANA) last year won a tender for green certificates by the Victoria government. The Australian state recently launched a new such tender to support 75 MW of new solar power capacity and it is accepting proposals by April 20.

(AUD 1 = USD 0.77/EUR 0.71)

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!