Alinta gets regulatory approval for W.A.’s biggest wind farm

Alinta Energy has won regulatory approval for the 212MW Yandin project 150kms north of Perth, which will be the biggest wind farm in Western Australia and one of the most efficient in the country.

The Economic Regulatory Authority on Wednesday said the project had been approved to proceed, and would likely begin construction in July. It received no submissions against the proposal to construct 51 Vestas turbines, each with a capacity of 4.2MW and standing 180 metres high. It is located near the Brand Highway near the town of Dandaragan.

The wind farm is predicted to have a “capacity factor” of around 50 per cent, putting it among the most efficient in the country, and at 212MW it will beat the 207MW Collgar wind farm near Merredin as the biggest in the state.

It also continues the rush of new development in the past two years since the demise of the former conservative government and a three-year investment drought for large scale renewables.

Construction will be undertaken by Decmil, which won the contract in April.

“We’re pleased to receive the generation licence from the Economic Regulation Authority,” a spokesman for Alinta said in an emailed statement. “It’s obviously another step in the right direction.

“The project is on track, and with construction plans and the appointment of contractors firmed up, we’ll become more active at the site from July.

“We’ll also engage with the local community to update them on our plans and seek their feedback.”