Key contracts have been signed for what will be the biggest wind farm to begin construction in Australia in more than two years – another clear sign that the wind investment drought is finally breaking.
Infrastructure construction company GenusPlus Group announced on Thursday it has won a $135 million contract to design and build a 330 kV terminal and transmission lines for the 470 megawatt (MW) Parron Maam Marang wind project, located around 200 kms north of Perth in Western Australia.
Parron Maam Marang is owned by Atmos Renewables, and is expected to reach financial close soon, having won a power purchase agreement with the state owned retailer Synergy earlier this year, as well as support through an undewriting agreement through the federal government’s Capacity Investment Scheme.
Parron Maam is one of a number of major wind projects being built in Western Australia, as the state accelerates work required to fill the gap that will be created by the planned closure of the government’s last coal fired generators before the end of the decade.
Work has already begun on the Waddi and Narrogin wind projects, the first turbine deliveries have been made to Kings Rocks, and the last turbine has been completed at the expansion of the Warradarge wind farm (pictured above).
Iron ore mining giant Fortescue is also about to erect the first turbine at the Nullagine wind project in the Pilbara, which is not connected to the state”s main grid.
Parron Maam will be the biggest wind farm in W.A., and by quite some margin, nearly double the size of the newly expanded Warradarge project.
It will also be the biggest to begin construction in Australia, at least since mid 2024 when TagEnergy reached FiD and began construction of the 577 MW second stage of Golden Plains wind farm in Victoria, which will be the biggest in the country at 1.33 GW when completed.
The choice of GenusPlus for the infrastructure works at Parron Maam is not surprising, given it has also been working on another key Atmos project in W.A., the 100 MW, 400 MWh Merredin battery.
GenusPlus says the works at Parron Maam Marang are expected to be completed in 2028, although that is subject to the project reaching FiD, and executing its grid connection agreements.
““Genus has worked closely with Atmos and is pleased to have been selected … to deliver this important package of electrical infrastructure works for the Parron Maam Marang Farm,” managing director David Riches said in a statement.
“It is a strong endorsement of our delivery performance and the resilience of our customer relationships, reinforcing our position as a trusted long‑term partner.
“We look forward to again working closely with Atmos and bringing our extensive transmission and energy infrastructure capability to the project. and delivering the grid connection for this critical infrastructure for Western Australia.”
Renew Economy has reached out to Atmos Renewables for further comment.
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