Hydro Tasmania to decide fate of 600-MW wind scheme by early 2015

Oct 20, 2014 - Australian firm Hydro Tasmania is expected to decide by early 2015 whether it will proceed with the development of its 600-MW wind project on King Island, the PerthNow said yesterday.

The developer is currently conducting a feasibility study of the AUD-2-billion (USD 1.75bn/EUR 1.37bn) project. According to the report, its decision will depend on results from the assessment as well as on the outcome of the federal government’s review of the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme.

The TasWind project involves the installation of about 200 turbines on the Bass Strait island and an underwater cable from King Island to the state of Victoria. If constructed, the wind complex is expected to have an annual output of some 2,400 GWh. The facility is also seen to inject over AUD 7 million a year into King Island’s economy.

Hydro Tasmania is one of 16 major renewable energy firms that have urged the Australian government to keep its RET programme unchanged. The panel reviewing the scheme in August released a report that calls for the close of the RET regime to new entrants with large-scale projects, among other measures threatening the sector’s future.

(AUD 1.0 = USD 0.876/EUR 0.687)

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